GKAMINE^. 597 



In meadows, pastures, and waste places, throughout Europe and Rus- 

 sian Asia, except tlie extreme north, and naturalized in other parts of the 

 world. Abundant in Britain. Fl. the tpJiole seaso>7. It varies niucli in 

 duration, and in the precise sliape and proportion of the glumes, as well as 

 in the presence or absence of awns. The Italian Ryegrass (i. italicum, 

 Braun), now much imported from the Continent, is a variety raised by 

 cultivation, most probably from seeds originally exported from England. 

 A remarkable variety, or rather, luxuriant state, with a branched spike, 

 occurs occasionally in rich meadows. 



2. Darnel Iiolium. Ijoliuxn temulentum, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1124, and L. arvense, t. 1125.) 

 Closely allied to the Byegrass L., but the root is always annual, the 

 outer bract of the spikelets usually as long as the spikelet itself, the flower- 

 ing glumes shorter and broader than in the Eyegrass L., and some of them 

 at least have an awn longer than themselves. 



In fields and waste places, in central and southern Europe, and central 

 Asia, extending more or less into northern Europe as a weed of cultiva- 

 tion, and as such generally dispersed over Britain, although not common. 

 Fl. summer. 



XXIX. FALSE-BROME. BRACHYPODIUM. 



Spikelets many-flowered, long, in a single spike, as in Tritleum, but 

 not so much flattened as in the perennial species of that genus, and not 

 quite so closely sessile, the axis of the spike not being indented to receive 

 them, yet not so distinctly stalked as in Fescue. 



A genus of very few species, chiefly from the temperate regions of the 

 old world, and intermediate, as it were, between Tritieum, Fescue, and 

 Srome, with one or other of which genera they have often been united. 



Awns as long as or longer than the flowering glumes. Spikelets usually 



drooping 1. Slender F. 



Awns shorter than the flowering glumes. Spikelets erect or nearly so . 2. Heath F. 



1. Slender False-Brome. Brachjnpodium sylvaticum, Beauv. 

 (Bromus, Eng. Bot. t. 729.) 



A rather slender, erect Grass, 2 to 3 feet high, with a perennial tuft, and 

 shghtly creeping rootstock. Leaves flat, and rather long. Spikelets usu- 

 ally 6 or 7, in a loose spike, more or less drooping, or rarely erect, each one 

 attaining an inch or even more in length, nearly cylindrical when young, 

 but flattened when in fruit, containing from 8 to twice that number of 

 flowers. Outer glumes pointed, flowering ones euding in an awn, usually 

 as long as or longer than the glume itself. Palea fringed with a few hairs 

 on the edges. 



In woods, hedges, and thickets, throughout Europe, and central and Rus- 

 sian Asia, except the extreme north. Common in England and Ireland, 

 more scarce in the Scotch Highlands. Fl. summer. 



2. Heath False-Brome. Brachypodium pinnatum, Beauv. 

 {Bromus, Eug. Bot. t. 730.) 

 Perhaps a mere variety of the slender F., growing in more open situa- 

 tions. The rootstock is more creeping, the spikelets more erect, the flowering 

 glumes rather smaller, and more open, and the awn is very much shorter. 



