182 TRITICUM. 



44. TRITICUM— Linn. Wheat. 



GENEEIC CHAKACTEB. 



Spikelets 3-several-flowered, single at eacli joint, 

 and placed with the side against the rhachis ; glumes 

 transverse (i. e., right and left), nearly equal and 

 opposite, herbaceous, nerved ; lower palet very like 

 the glumes, convex on the back, pointed or awned 

 Irom the tip, the upper flattened, bristly- ciliate on 

 the nerves, free or adherent to the groove of the grain; 

 stamens 3. 



The classical name, probably from tritus, beaten, 

 because the grain is beaten out of the spikes. 



The true species are annuals, with the glumes 

 ovate-oblong, turgid, and boat-shaped, as in common 

 wheat. Others are perennial, with nearly lanceolate 

 glumes, and 2-ranked spikes, never furnishing bread 

 corn. 



(§ Agropyron, Gaertn., to which the following be- 

 long.) 



Flowers in summer. 



1. TriticilmIlepens,Z/mra. (^Couch, Quitch, or Quick 

 grass. Twitch grass, Dogs' grass. Chandler grass, 

 etc.) 



This well-known troublesome grass, of which there 

 ■are many varieties, is relished by cattle, both in a 

 green and dried state, but from its coarse nature is 

 rather difficult to be cured for hay at the late season 

 of the year when it is fit for cutting for that purpose, 

 I have experimented with the large variety this year, 

 and am so well satisfied with the results, that I in- 



