118 THE LYME GRASSES. 



bearing an extremely long awn, about the length of 

 the similar hairy glumes, all spreading. It is common 

 on moist sands and marshes on the sea-shore, flowering 

 in June. 



Baelet GrEASS {Hordeum pusillum) grows from five 

 to ten inches high, in saltish soils of Ohio, Illinois, and 

 westward. Lateral flowers imperfect, awnless, pointed, 

 the perfect flower awned ; glumes rigid, short-awned. 

 Annual. Much relished by cattle. 



Two-rowed Baelet (Hordeum distichum), as well as 

 Four and Six eowed Baelet (Hordeum vulgare), belong 

 to this genus. — See next chapter. 



45. Secale. Bye. 



Spikelets two-flowered, flowers perfect, with the rudi- 

 ment of a third terminal flower ; glumes nearly equal, 

 nearly opposite, keeled, awnless or awned ; pales herba- 

 ceous, lower one awned, keeled, with sides unequal ; 

 upper shorter, two-keeled ; scales two, entire ; stamens 

 three, ovary hairy ; fruit free, hairy at the summit ; 

 spikes simple. 



Rte (Secede cerecde), a common cultivated plant, famil- 

 iar to every farmer. — See next chapter. 



46. Eltmus. Lyme Grasses. 



Spikelets two to four at each joint of the rachis, all 

 fertile, each one to seven flowered ; glumes both on 

 one side of the spikelet; palese two, lower one usually 

 awned, mostly perennial, some species annual. 



Ltmb Grass. Wild Rte (Elymus Virginiaus), is fre- 

 quent along the banks of rivers. It is known by its 

 upright spike, dense and thick on a short peduncle, 

 usually included in the sheath ; two or three spikelets 

 together, two or three flowered, smooth, shortly awned j 



