57^ THE GEASS FAMILY. 



spite or spike-like panicle. Two outer glumes unequal, keeled, pointed but 

 not awned ; the 2 next also empty, shorter than the outer ones, narrow, 

 hairy ; one with a small awn on its back, the other with a longer awn 

 arising from its base ; flowering glume still shorter, much broader, obtuse 

 and awnless. Palea narrow and scarious, with a central nerve hke the 

 glumes. Stamens only 2. 



The genus consists but of a single species. 



1. Street Anthoxanth. Anthoxautliuin odoratum, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 647. Vernal Grass.) 



A rather slender, erect perennial, 1 to 2 feet high, and quite glabrous. 

 Spike-hke panicle 1| to 2 inches long. Outer glvunes very pointed ; the 

 inner one of the two about 3 lines long, the outermost seldom above half 

 that length. Inner glumes usually quite included in them, or rarely the 

 longest awn slightly protrudes. 



In meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, from 

 the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions. Abundant in Britain, imparting 

 a sweet scent to new-made hay. Fl. spring and early summer, and often 

 again in autumn, 



VI. PHAI.ARXS. PHALAEIS. 



Spikelets l-flowered, broad and very flat, densely crowded into an ovoid 

 or cylindrical spike or spike-hke panicle as in Phleum, but the glumes 

 have the keel projecting into a scarious wing, and there are usually 1 or 2 

 minute scales or rudimentary glumes between the outer empty glumes and 

 the flowering one. 



A small genus, chiefly from the Mediterranean region and central Asia. 



1. Canary Phalaris. Phalaris cauariensis, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1310.) 



An erect, leafy annual, 2 to 3 feet high, with a densely imbricated, ovoid, 

 spike-like panicle, 1 to 1^ inches long, variegated with green and white, and 

 quite glabrous. Outer glumes very flat, 3 to 4 lines long, acute but not 

 awned, white on the edges, with a broad green hne down each side. Flower- 

 ing glume much shorter, narrow and pointed, smooth and shining, hardening 

 roimd the seed as it ripens. 



A native of southern Europe or northern Africa, much cultivated as 

 Canary-seed in many parts of central and even northern Europe, and fre- 

 quently appearing as a weed of cultivation. In Britain, only known as such 

 in some parts of southern England. Fl. summer. 



VII. DXGRAPHIS. DIGEAPHIS. 



A single species, often united with Phalaris, of which it has the rudi- 

 mentary glumes immediately under the flowering ones, but it is very differ- 

 ent in inflorescence, and the outer glumes are not wiuged on the keel. 



1. Reed Digraphis. Di^aphis arundinacea, Trin. 

 (Phalaris, Eng. Bot. t. 402.) 

 A roed-Kke perennial, 2 to 3 feet high, with rather broad, long leaves, 



