74 



Botanical Section 



[PT I 



glumes, smooth, papery, acute, and nearly equal. The lower 

 glume has about seven conspicuous nerves, the upper one has 

 from nine to eleven. 



"Seeds" about 15 mm. long by 3 mm. broad, cylindrical, 

 tapering at apex. The outer palea may be almost white, or 

 yellowish, or some shade of brown, or even of. a dark-slate colour ; 

 its basal part is covered with brown or yellow hairs, and it bears 

 a twisted and bent dorsal awn of a rich brown colour (when ripe) 

 and about 30 mm. long. Rachilla long, cylindrical, outstanding, 

 and covered with fine long bristles. The graiD closely resembles 



Fig. 58. " Seeds " of Avena flavescens, L. x 10. Two views 



that of the cultivated oat. It is some 7 mm. long, distinctly 

 grooved on its inner surface, and covered with fine hairs at its 

 apex. (Fig. 62.) 



A. strigosa, L. (Bristle-pointed Oat.) Very closely resembles 

 the wild oat and is perhaps only a variety. Its panicle is less 

 spreading, and more turned towards one side; the outer palea 

 is terminated by two long straight bristles. 



Brachypodium sylvatkum, Beauv. (Wood False Brome- 

 grass.) (Fig. 66.) Common in Britain. 



A tufted perennial growing in shade or semi-shade. Foliage 



