158 THE SEEDS OF THE GRASSES. 



Hqrdeum. — In H. sylvaticum the palea is very rough, the 

 awn is twice as long as the grain, and the grain is narrow and 

 angular. The spikelet of H . pratense is reddish, the awn is not 

 double as long as the gram, and the grain is angular and faintly 

 nerved. In H. murinum the awn is serrulate. 



Koeleria. — The rachilla of K. cristata is noticeably large, and 

 the seed is keeled and awnless and pale whitish yellow. 



Leersia. — The grain of L. oryzoides is brown, of much the 

 same character as rice, grooved and slightly flattened. 



Lolium. — The rachilla of L. temulentum is cylindrical and 

 smooth, and not broad and flat as in L. perenne, the palea being 

 ovate and awned. 



Melica. — The seed of M. nutans is glossy, dark purplish 

 brown, and, like the grain, is ovate and wrinkled. 



Milium. — In M. effusum the seed is glossy white, slender- 

 pointed at the end, and slightly flattened. 



Molinia. — The seed of M. ccerulea resembles a bird in flight 

 with the wings upraised ; the palea is keeled, glabrous, and 

 awnless ; the rachilla is long, oblique, and projecting ; the colour 

 is brownish or purplish. 



Nardus. — The seed of N. stricta is triangular and serrulate 

 on the angles ; the awn is also toothed, and the grain has no groove. 



Panicum. — The grain of P. crus-galli is glossy dark brown, 

 and it is grooved and rather flat. 



Phalaris. — The grain of P. canariensis is the ordinary canary 

 seed of the bird-fancier. 



Phleum. — The seeds of all the species are very similar to 

 those of timothy. 



Poa. — The palea of P. aauatica is dark green, the inner palea 

 is punctate, the rachilla is cylindrical and slender, and the grain 

 is dark brown. The palea of P. fluitans is very rough, the seed is 

 long and slender, and the grain ovate. The seed of P. maritima is 

 angular, small, and brown, and so is that of P. distans and of 

 several of the other species. In P. annua the ribs of the palea are 

 silky and strongly marked, and there is no web. The palea in P. 

 alpina is acute, compressed, keeled, with hairy ribs and nerved tips ; 

 the grain is triangular, slender, and the ventral surface is concave. 



