THE GENERA AND THEIR SPECIES. 



77 



Arrhenatherum. Plate xv. A VENEJE. 



44. avenaccum 42 in. False Oat. Spikclcls large ; florets two ; 

 lower floret male. 

 Fields and shady waysides throughout Europe and Western 

 Asia. June and July. Root perennial, loosely tufted, roots! ock 

 extensively creeping, deeply penetrating, with two swollen joints, 

 one frequently resembling a bulb. Stem erect, smooth, brittle ; 

 nodes generally smooth. Leaves dark green, acute, keeled, thin, 

 dry, drooping, ribs on upper surface, low and flat, fourth and 

 fifth stronger than the others. Sheath keeled, smooth ; 

 ligule conspicuous, obtuse, jagged, hairy on back. Panicle loose, 

 narrow, half-whorled, branches all one way, spreading only while 

 florets are open. Spikelets with two 

 florets, large, laterally compressed, 

 hairy at base, upper floret perfect, 

 lower floret barren. Glumes pale 

 green, unequal, outer glume the 

 shorter, smooth, pointed, thin. Outer 

 palea of lower floret acute, rough, 

 ribbed, midrib with awn rising from 

 above the base, twice as long as the 

 spikelet, bent and twisted at the apex 

 of the palea. Outer palea of upper 

 floret with awn from the point, small 

 or absent. Anthers large, pendulous, 

 and purple. 



The False Oat is a rather un- 

 certain perennial of rapid growth, 

 recognisable by the large spikelets and the disclosing of the violet 

 paleae by the wide, gaping, yellowish green glumes. Though 

 not much liked by horses it is a good hay and pasture grass, 

 yielding a satisfactoiy aftermath, and valuable when cut in 

 flower in warm, dry weather. It has to be mixed with other 

 species to thrive, and though somewhat indifferent to climate or 

 soil, is at its best in a warm region in good, light, medium ground. 

 The pale-brown seed is best sown in autumn, and has to be 

 sown more deeply than that of any other grass. 



A rrhenatherum^ avenaceum. 

 Spikelet. For Floret, see p. 49. 



