'T36 BROMUS. [class m. order ii. 



ten, smooth, somewhat cylindrical, remote, longer than the rough 

 awn. 



English Botany, t. 1171. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 151. — Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 311. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 51. 



Hoot of numerous downy fibres. Stein erect, smooth, round, sim- 

 ple, from two to three feet high. Leaves long,. broad, striated, rough 

 and hairy above, beueath smoother. Sheaths short, close, smooth, 

 striated. Ligula very short, obtu.se, torn. Inflorescence a large, erect, 

 or slightly drooping panicle : the lower branches half whorled, and 

 subdivided; the upper mostly short and simple; all roughish and 

 angular. Spikelets ovate-lanceolate, nearly erect when in flower, but 

 drooping when in seed. Florets about ten, at first closely imbricated, 

 afterwards more remote, and nearly cylindrical, by the sides becoming 

 more infiexed. Glumes unequal, the margins pale and membranous ; 

 the outer smallest, keeled, and each side with two prominent ribs ; the 

 inner valve ovate- lanceolate, keeled, and with several more or less dis- 

 tinct ribs. Glurnelles equal : the outer ovale oblong, the margins and 

 bifid extremity membranous, the sides inflexed, smooth, or the extre- 

 mity sometimes roughish, with minute points; the three ribs on eacb 

 side, as well as the keel, obscurely marked ; ami frequently shorter 

 than the valve, rough and waved : inner valve membranous, with two 

 lateral green ribs, ciliated with white hairs. Stiyrnas feathery. Seed 

 oblong, channelled on one side, the apex downy. 



Habitat. — Corn-fields, not uncommon. 



Annual ; flowering from July to August. 



In some countries — as Hanover and Germany — this species of grass 

 grows in such abundance amongst the Wheat and Rye, as to render 

 the crops of very inferior value. The flour produced from its seed is 

 small in quantity, and is said to impart a bitter taste to the bread, and 

 to produce effects similar to Lo'liurn ternulen'tum. It was an opinion 

 entertained by the ancients, that Wheat and other gi'ain degenerated 

 into grasses, and that this and the following species have gradually 

 lost their claim amongst the grain- beaiing glasses, and to have dege- 

 nerated from Rye ; hence ihey were called smooth and downy Rye- 

 grasses. 



9. B. vehiti'nus, Schrad. (Fig. 176.) downy Brome-grass. " Panicle 

 spreading, scarcely subdivided ; spikelets nf from ten to fifteen 

 crowded, elliptical, downy florets; awn a:^ long as the glumes; 

 leaves slightly hairy." — Smith. 



English Flora, vol. i. p. 152. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 311. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 51. — Bro'mus multijio'rus, English Botany, 

 t. 1884. 



/B. mi'ncry Hook. ; " sheaths of the leaves densely clothed with 

 deiezed hairs." — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 52. 



