204 



BRITISH GRASSES. 



tween the teeth ; spikelets in clusters of three on each tooth, 

 one-flowered ; outer glumes all bristle-like ; central spikelet 

 with two equal glumes, spreading a little at the base, fringed, 

 terminating in a straight rough awn ; central floret with a 

 flowering glume ovate, three-ribbed, furnished with a long 

 rough awn, exceeding the length of those on the outer 

 glumes, and a membranaceous, transparent, fringed palea, 

 bearing a bristle at its base ; the lateral spikelets situated 

 on footstalks, their outer glumes mere bristles, the inner 

 one a little spreading at the base ; the flowering glumes 

 three-ribbed, with awns longer than those of the outer 

 glumes, but not so long as that of the flowering glume of 

 the central floret ; the palea minute, membranaceous, with 

 a slender bristle at the base ; the central floret has its proper 

 complement of ovary, pistils, and stamens, but the lateral 

 florets have stamens alone. 



No one in search of plants can have failed to note 



this very common grass. It 

 is generally about a foot 

 high, and grows in consi- 

 derable quantities, its green 

 compact spikes bending and 

 swaying in the breeze after 

 the manner of ripe corn. 

 There is scarcely an unpro- 

 mising bit of ground where 

 four roads meet, or below 

 high brick walls which hin- 

 der the sunshine from ever 

 touching the earth, or about 

 building ground in London 

 and other great towns, or in neglected streets, but there 

 the Wall Barley effects a settlement. Especially about 



