90 ARRHENATHERUM AVENACEUM. 



A common Grass in England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, 

 Germany, and the United States. 



Stem upright, circular, and polished, bearing four or five 

 flat, rough, narrow, acute leaves, with striated smoothish sheaths, 

 the upper one longer than its leaf, and having at its apex a 

 small ragged ligule. Joints smooth, and sometimes hirsute. In- 

 florescence simple-panicled. Panicle inclining to one side, 

 branches short and rough, the lower ones mostly in fives. Calyx 

 consisting of a pair of very unequal acute membranous glumes. 

 The florets consisting of two palea?. The lower floretf'has a 

 long awn rising from slightly above the base of the outer palea, 

 the second floret has a very short awn commencing beneath the 

 apex. Length from two to three feet and a half. Root peren- 

 nial, fibrous, and sometimes bulbous. 



There is a variety known as lulbosum, which grows in rich 

 cultivated fields, having bulbous roots. 



Flowers in the third week in June, and becomes ripe in 

 about five weeks. 



The present species, which is readily known from all other 

 Grasses, is a common plant in Nottinghamshire, growing occa- 

 sionally to the height of three feet and a half, especially in 

 low meadows on the banks of hedges. 



There is only another species known of this family, namely, 

 the A. pattens, a Portuguese plant. 



The specimen for illustration was forwarded by Mr. Joseph 

 Sidebotham, of Manchester. 



