116 



Botanical Section 



[PT I 



Lolium temulentum, L. (Darnel or Bearded Eye-grass.) 

 (Fig. 121.) 



An annual, sometimes found as a weed in cornfields. It is 

 practically indistinguishable from Italian Rye-grass by the foliage. 



Flowers about July ; culms about 2 feet high. Inflorescence 

 similar to that of L. italicum, but the spikelets contain only four 

 or five flowers, and the empty glume is longer than the spikelet 

 and has only three distinct nerves. A very small inner glume 



Fig. 125. "Seed" of Lolium 

 temulentum. x 10. 



Fig. 126. "Seed" of Melica 

 nutans. Front view, x 10. 



may sometimes be present. Outer palea seven-nerved, bifid at its 

 apex, and bearing (in the ordinary form) a sub-terminal rough awn 

 from once to twice the length of the outer palea. Another form 

 without, awns is sometimes described as L. anense. 



The "seeds" are from 6 to 7 mm. long (excluding the awn), 

 smooth, and very stout (about 2-5 mm. thick). Rachilla stout, 

 round, and smooth. (Fig. 125.) 



Melica nutans, L. (Mountain Melick.) (Fig. 127.) 



A rather rare perennial, occurring only in shady places at fairly 



