SSO COMMON GRASSES OF THE FARM 



mg glumes are awned. This grass is of short duration usually, 

 not more than over two years, but like perennial rye-grass be- 

 comes readily self-sown. 



It is one of the most rapidly growing grasses, producing 

 heavy crops in the same season in which it is sown, is superior 

 m feeding quality to the previous species, and very extensively 

 used for one or two years' ley. For permanent pasture mixtures 

 it should be left out altogether, or employed in very small 

 amount. 



Darnel (Lolium temulentum L.). — An annual grass met with 

 as a weed among corn crops. It resembles the above-mentioned 

 rye-grasses, but its spikelets have fewer flowers, and the empty 

 glume generally exceeds the spikelet in length. The flowering 

 glume is mostly awned as in Italian rye-grass. In certain plants 

 the fruits are infected with the mycelium of a fungus, and are 

 said to be poisonous. 



Genus Secale. 



Inflorescence a spike without a terminal spikelet : spikelets 

 somewhat compressed, two- or three-flowered, transverse to 

 rachis, that is, the edges of the glumes next to the rachis : one 

 spikelet at each notch of the latter. Empty glumes very narrow, 

 flowering glumes keeled to the base, and with a long terminal 

 awn ; keel with a fringe of strong hairs. 



Eye {Secale cereale L.). — (See p. 511.) 



Genus Triticum. 



Annual grasses. Inflorescence a spike with a terminal spike- 

 let : spikelets inflated, two to five flowers, transverse to the 

 rachis, that is, the edges of the glumes next to the latter : 

 empty glumes with an awn or strong tip : flowering glume with 

 one or more long or short awns. 



Wheats (see p. 515). 



