GEAMIKEJE. 599 



In hedges and thickets, and on the edges of woods, in temperate and 

 southern Europe, extending eastward to the Caucasus, and northward to 

 southern Scandinavia. Frequent in England, Ireland, and the lowlands of 

 Scotland. Fl. summer. 



3. Barren Brome. Bromus sterilis, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1030.) 



An erect annual or biennial, 1 to 2 feet high or rather more ; the leaves 

 softly downy, but less so than in the field B. Panicle 6 inches long or 

 more, with numerous more or less drooping branches, many of them as 

 long as the spikelets or longer. Spikelets linear-lanceolate, with 6 to 8 or 

 more flowers, attaining more than 2 inches in length, including their awns. 

 Flowering glumes rough on the back, distinctly 7-nerved, with a straight 

 awn much longer than the glume itself. 



In waste places, on waysides, etc., throughout Europe and Russian Asia, 

 except the extreme north. Abundant in England, Ireland, and the Low- 

 lands of Scotland. Fl. summer, commencing early. 



4. Great Brome. Bromus masimus, Desf. 



(Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2820.) 



Very near the barren B., but the panicle is more erect and compact, only 

 a few of the branches attaining the length of the spikelets, without their 

 awns, and the flowering gkunes are larger and broader, with very long awns, 

 the whole spikelet, including the awns, being often 3|^ inches long. 



A native of the Mediterranean region, which appears to have estabhshed 

 itself in Jersey. Fl. early svm,mer. 



5. Compact Brome. Bromus madritensis, Linn. 



{B. diandrus, Eng. Bot. t. 1006.) 



A much smaller plant than the barren B., seldom above a foot high, less 

 downy, and with narrower leaves. Panicle erect or nearly so, very com- 

 pact, and often of a purplish tint, the branches much shorter than the 

 spikelets. Awns as in the two last, longer than the flowering glvimes ; but 

 the wliole spikelet, including the awns, is seldom 2 inches long. The flowers 

 have, like other Bromes, sometimes only 2 stamens. 



On roadsides, and in waste places, throughout southern Europe, extending 

 up the west coasts to the Enghsh Channel. In Britain, only in the south- 

 ern counties of England. Fl. early summer. 



6. Field Brome. Bromus arvensis^ Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 920 and 1. 1984, B.pratensis, B.commutatus, and B. patulus, 

 Brit. Fl. Serrafalcus (4 species), Bab. Man.) 

 An erect annual or biennial, varying much in size, from 1 to 2 or 3 feet 

 higli, more or less softly downy, or sometimes quite glabrous. Panicle 

 sometimes small, slender, elongated or compact, and nearly erect, but more 

 frequently more or less droojaing, yet never so large nor so loose as in the 

 hairy B. and the barren B. ; and amidst all its variations, the species is 

 always distinguished from tlie 4 preceding ones by its short, oblong or 

 ovoid, turgid flowering gliunes, 3 to 4 lines long, and more closely packed, 

 giving a broader and fuller shape to the spikelet. Awn slender, usually 

 about the length of the glumes, straight, or spreading when dry, but not in 

 so marked a manner as m the south European B. squarrosus, said to have 

 appeared occasionally in our cornfields. 



