172 



a very subordinate rank ; but admitting this to be the case is not deny- 

 ing its utility in other respects. 



It is a circumstance worthy of remark, as associated with the natural 

 history of this grass, that, although producing abundance of seed, the 

 latter should rarely, from my own observation- 1 should say never, be 

 consumed by granivorous birds. Is it not indicative of the presence of 

 some deleterious property prevailing in them, approaching that which 

 distinguishes those of the following species? The fact that cattle 

 generally, if not always, leave the mature flowering stems untouched on 

 the pasture, though they greedily crop the young foliage, seems no less 

 significant. 



LoLiUM TEMULENTUM. Annual Darnel. Bearded Darnel. True Eay- 

 grass. Plate CXXXVI. 



Spikelets five- or six-flowered, shorter than the solitary external 

 glume. Lower palea awned. Eoot fibrous. 



Lolium temulentum, Linnaeus. E. B. 1124 ; ed. 2. 185. Generally 

 adopted. 



Common in corn-fields, especially throughout England, and chiefly 

 among wheat and barley, with the seeds of which it has been introduced 

 from the Continent. Stems erect, about two or three feet in height, 

 but varying according to that of the corn among which they grow ; 

 usually many from the same root, never sending out from the base 

 leafy barren shoots like those of the preceding species. Leaves flat, 

 acute, rough on both sides, especially toward the upper extremity. 

 Ligule short, obtuse. Spike six inches to a span or more in length. 

 Spikelets sessile, seldom more than flve- or six -flowered, rarely exceed- 

 ing the external glume in length. Glume linear or oblong, strongly 

 three-ribbed with intermediate veins, generally a little longer than the 

 spikelet, on the inner face of which the rudiment of a second is, in 

 most instances, observable, and sometimes so much developed as to 

 partially interfere with the generic character. Paleas two ; the outer 

 one seven-veined, with a rough awn extending from below its bifid 

 extremity ; inner one linear, with two green marginal fringed veins. 

 Awn very variable in length, but in general about half that of the 

 ,palea ; sometimes much longer, and rarely absent altogether. 



Annual. Flowers in July and August. 



Lolium arvense. White Darnel. Plate CXXXVII. 



" Spikelets awnless, rather shorter than the calyx (glume). Calyx 

 two-valved. Straw smooth." 



Lolium arvense. Withering. E. B. 1125. L. temulentum 0, Modern 

 botanists. 



