﻿120 



GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 



summit of the palea. Inner palea about equal in length to the outer 

 palea, membranous, acute, furnished with two green marginal ribs, 

 delicately fringed with fine hairs. Anthers of a deep saffron colour. 

 Styles rather distant. 



hirsutus. — A variety with the stem glumes and outer 



palea hairy. Found occasionally on dry sandy soil. 



Obs. — Bromus erectus has frequently been mistaken for Bromus 

 arvensis, but is readily distinguished from it in the large glume of the 

 calyx having only three ribs ; — whereas in B. arvensis the large glume 

 has seven ribs. (See Plate XLIX. Fig. 1.) 



From Bromus asper, in the radical leaves being narrower than 

 those of the stem ; hairs of the sheaths pointing upwards ; outer 

 palea seven-ribbed, and not more than one- third longer than the small 

 glume of the calyx ; whereas in B. asper the radical leaves are broad- 

 er than those of the stem ; hairs of the sheaths point downwards ; 

 outer palea five-ribbed, and twice the length of the small glume of 

 the calyx. 



Bromus erectus is stated by Mr Curtis as being peculiar to chalky 

 soils, and that it becomes more luxuriant in growth when cultivated in a 

 garden than in its natural wild state. Mr Sinclair, however, has 

 found it on rather low-lying sandy soils, where it appeared as luxuri- 

 ant as when cultivated in the grass garden. It seems to be not much 

 relished by cattle, and but little adapted for pasture land. Pheasants, 

 it is said, are fond of the seeds. This grass is by no means frequent 

 in Scotland, and seldom met with in Ireland. In England it is found 

 in the counties of York, Anglesea, Worcester, Oxon, Cambridge, 

 Norfolk, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, and Somerset. It is also a native of 

 Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, and Italy. Not found in 

 America. Its limit of altitude seems to be about 500 feet above the sea. 



Flowers in the second and third week of June, and ripens its seed 

 in the third week of July. 



80. Bromus asper. * 

 Wood Br ome- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Large glume three-ribbed. Awn rather 



* JBromas dsjper, Linn. Smith, Hooker, Greville, Koch, Lindley, 



