Holcusj] CVII. GRAMINE^. 543 



F 

 r ' 



and, In Skye, Lightfoot says that the fishermen twist them into ex- . 

 cellent ropes for their nets. 



18. Melica Linn. Melic-grass. (Tab. VIL f. 16.) 



Panicle lax. Spikelets ovate, awnless, with 1—2 perfect 

 florets and a club-shaped rudimentary neuter one. Glumes 2 

 nearly equal, shorter than the florets, several-nerved. Glu- 

 mellas2- outer one rounded on the back, entire at the'end at 

 length cartilaginous and enclosing the free caryopsis. ~ Name • 



Melica or Melliga, given in Italy to the Sorghum vn'' 



account of the sweet flavour of its stem (mel, honey), io ..^.ux.cu 

 by Lmnasus tp this somewhat allied genus. 



1. M. nutans L. {Mountain M.) ; panicle nearly simple ra* 

 cemed secund, spikelets drooping ovate 2-flowered F 7? 

 t. 1059 : Parn. Gr. t. 18. ' 



Woods in somewhat mountainous countries ; especially in the north 

 of England and Scotland. If.. 5, 6. ~ One foot or more high, leafy 

 Leaves linear- lanceolate, flat : ligule short and obtuse. Glumes ovate 

 convex, nerved, deep purple-brown, margin pale. Outer glumella's 

 large, cartilagmous, unequal, nerved. Between the two perfect florets 

 IS the rudiment of a third, :which is pedicellate, consisting of 2 hardened 

 glumellas without either pistil or stamen. 



2, M. unifldra L. (Wood M.)-, panicle branched slit^htlv 

 drooping spikelets erect ovate with only one glabrous perfect 

 floret. E. B. t. 1058 ; Parn. Gr. t. 18. ^ ^ 



Shady woods, frequent. ^ . 5-7. _ Imperfect floret on rather 

 a long loot-stalk. Leaves broader than the last, and whole plant 

 larger. Scale of one piece, orange-coloured, thick, « covered bv the 

 outer glumella:" Wilson. t;rt-u oy me 



r 



t 



19. HoLcus Linn. Soft-grass. (Tab. VII. f. 17.) 



Panicle lax. Spikelets laterally compressed, 2-flowered 

 Glumes 2. Lower floret perfect, triandrous : glumellas 2 i 

 outer one awnless or very rarely awned. Upper floret barren 

 triandrous ; glumellas 2 ; outer one awned. Caryopsis covered ' 

 by the mdurated ^-ZwrneZ/a*.— Named oXkoq, from iX^w, to ex- 

 tract; because it was supposed to have the property of drawin<y 

 out thorns from the flesh ! i i- J' xawui^ 



1. n. mollis L. (creeping S.) ; glumes acuminate, awn of 

 barren floret exserted at length geniculate scabrous all over 



i°n 7A o^ '''i"' "^'^^ ^ ^'^^^ «f ^'^irs, root creeping. E. B. . 

 1. 1170: Parn. Gr. t. 21. 



serveTtr.%r^ ^''^•^'''- 'T":"""- ^- 7. - Mr. Wilson well Ob- ' 

 m n^ A "^"Tf '' '^^^'"'gui^hed by the acute (or almost acu- 



minate) glumes and downy joints of the culm. 



2. H. landtuslu. (Meadow S.)- glumes rather obtuse mucrn- 





