162 TRIANDRIA— DIGYNIA. Avena. 



On dry mountainous rocks ; a doubtful native. 



Found by Dr. Richardson, in company with Thomas Lawson, on 

 the lime-stone rocks hanging over a little valley, called Long 

 Sleadale, about 6 miles north of Kendall, Westmoreland. Dille- 

 nius. Nobody has been able to meet with it since. 



Perennial. June. 



Root fibrous, crowned with several stems, a foot high, and dense 

 tufts of upright, long, narrow, acute, dark-green, roughish 

 leaves. Sheaths striated, very long, especially the uppermost, 

 which is also considerably dilated, and envelops the young pa- 

 nicle, rising above it when in flower ; the leaf being recurved, 

 pendulous, involute and striated. Stipula oblong, obtuse. Pani- 

 cle simple, erect, of 6 or T Jlowers, whose elegant feathery awns, 

 about a foot long, attract general attention, and are used for 

 ornament, in dress, or otherwise. 



54. AVENA. Oat, or Oat-grass. 



Linn. Gen. 37. Juss. 32. Fl. Br. 139. Lam. t. 47. 



Col. of 2 rather unequal, ovate-lanceolate, concave, lax, mem- 

 branous-pointed, awnless valves, containing a lax spikelet, 

 of several alternate Jlorets. Cor. of 2 unequal valves ; the 

 outer firmer than the calyx, and about the same size, 

 ovate, involute, so as to be nearly cylindrical, pointed at 

 each end, concave ; deeply cloven at the summit, bearing 

 from the middle of the back a stout aiim; spirally twisting 

 in its lower part ; simple and tapering above ; spreading 

 when dry ; inner valve ovate, smaller, awnless. Nect. or 

 2 lanceolate scales. Filam. shorter than the corolla. 

 Anth. rather short. Germ, obtuse. Styles somewhat la- 

 teral, short, distinct. Stigmas densely feathery. Seed el- 

 liptic-oblong, with a narrow channel along its upper side, 

 sometimes downy, closely enveloped in the hardened outer 

 valve of the corolla, retaining its awn. 



Root annual or perennial. Habit, as well as the size of the 

 Jlowers, extremely various. Panicle compound, or simple. 

 Glumes shining. 



1. A.fatua. Wild Oat, or Haver. 



Panicle erect, compound. Spikelets pendulous. Florets 

 about three, shorter than the calyx, bristly at the base, 

 with an oblique scar, all awned. 



A. fatua. Linn. Sp. PL 118. fVilld. v. 1.447. Fl.Br. 139. Engl. 

 Bat. u. 3 1 . <. 222 1 . Mart. Rust. t.8l. Knapp t. 93. Hook. 

 Scot. 43. Don H. Br. 80. Schrad. Germ. v. 1 . 373. Host Gram. 



