CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



CULTIVATED EYE (Genus Secale). 



I. Characters of the Genus. — The inflorescences or 'ears' are 

 spike-like (Fig. 164), resembling those of wheat in 

 general structure. The rachis bears two opposite 

 rows of sessile spikelets. 



A single spikelet is placed at each notch of the 

 rachis, and consists of three flowers, two of which 

 generally produce grain, the third being in most 

 cases rudimentar)'. 



The empty glumes are very narrow 

 and the flowering glumes broad, keeled 

 from the base, and terminated by a long 

 awn ; the keel of the glume is fringed 

 with stiff hairs. 



The caryopsis is free from the glumes, 

 narrower and longer than a wheat grain, 

 and usually of brownish-olive or greyish- . __ 

 brown tint. 

 2. Cultivated Eye. — Only one species. 



H 



namely. Common Eye {Secale cereale Spikeiet of 



L.), is cultivated. It appears to be of <rEmpt™gium« 



more recent origin than the other com- giumeTrrihS 



mon cereals, and is considered to have °'^'''' *"' 



arisen from Secale montanum Guss., a species met 



with wild in various elevated districts of southern 



Fig 164. -Ear' and castcm Europe and western Asia. 



cereale L). The latter species differs from common rye in 



512 



