ch. vn] Botanical Description of Species 



111 



H. maritimum, With., is a sea-coast form of H. muri- 

 num. 



Hordeum pratense, Huds. (Meadow Barley-grass.) (Fig. 

 117.) 



A small tufted annual or perennial, preferring stiff clays and 

 moist soils generally. Frequent in England ; rare in Scotland. 

 Of little agricultural value. Sheaths split, the lower ones hairy, 

 but the upper ones often glabrous. Blades rolled in the shoot, 

 firm, dry, hairy above, almost glabrous and glossy below. Ligule 

 short; auricles small, narrow and pointed or even reduced to 

 mere ledges. 



Fig. 116. A. "Seed" of Holcus mollis consisting of the entire spikelet. x 10. 

 B. Contents of the spikelet A. The lower pair of paleae (Ip.) contain a 

 grain; up. upper pair of paleae showing the remains of stigma on the un- 

 developed ovary, x 10. 



Flowers early in July; culms usually about 18 inches high. 

 The spike of spikelets is from 1 to 2 inches long. The flower of 

 each central spikelet is bi-sexual, the lateral flowers staminate 

 only. The glumes of all the spikelets are bristle-like. 



The "seed" consists of the three united mature spikelets. 

 The outer palea of the central flower is three-nerved, and the 

 middle nerve terminates in a serrated awn rather longer than the 

 outer palea. The rachilla of the central flower is very fine, cylin- 

 drical, and about half as long as the inner palea. 



