426 QRAMDUA 



37. DANTHONrA, DC. Wild Oat-grass. 



In honor of M. Danthoint, a French botanist. 



Spikelets 2 to 10-flowered ; tbe upper flower often im- 

 perfect. Glumes nearly equal, mostly longer than the 

 flower. Pale^e hairy at the base ; lower one 2-toothed at 

 the summit, with a twisted awn between the teeth ; upper 

 one obtuse, entire. — Flowers in a spiked panicle. 



B, spicata, Beauv. Wild Oats. 



Panicle simple, raceme-like, rather 1-sided; spikelets few, apprised, 7-flowered ; 

 lower palcm broadly-ovate, loosely hairy on the back, about ^ the length of tha 

 awn. 



Dry and sterile or rocky soil. Jnlv. C'u'ms tufted. 1 to 2 teet high, erect. 

 Leaves short somewhat involute- awl-sluipcd ; sheaths bearded at the throat. 



38. AYEXA, Linn. Oat. 



The classical Latin name. 



Spikelets 3 to many-flowered, panicled, commonly large. 

 Flowers rather remote, the upper ones often imperfect. 

 Glumes loose and membranaceous, nearly equal. Pale^e 

 2 ; the lower one bifid at the summit, with a long twisted 

 awn on the back below the tip. Stamens 3. Grain 

 oblong-linear, grooved on one side. — Panicle compound f 

 hose. 



1. A. sattya, L. Common Oat. 



Oulm. 2 to 1 feet hi a -h ; tamej linear-lanceolate, veined, rough, with loose striata 

 sheaths; stipules torn; panicle loos.' ; spikelets pedunculate, pendulous, 2 flowered 

 palw, somewhat cartilaginous, ck>3ely embracing the grain. Ann. A highly ho- 

 nor taat grain. 



2. A. sterilis, L. Animated Oat. 



Stem 3 to i feet high, and with the leaves smooth, the latter long, acute, flat '*. 

 spikelets 5-flowered; otder flowers and avms h;iiry, inner flowers awnles*. Ann. 

 From Barbary. Cultivated as a curiosity. The awns are 2 inches long, geniculate 

 and twisted more or less according to the state of the atmosphere. 



39. HOLCU3, Linn. Soft grass. 



An ancient name, of obscure application. 



Spikelets 2 or 3-flowered in a contracted panicle, poly- 

 gamous. Glumes herbaceous, somewhat boat-shaped, mu- 

 cronate. Lowest flower neutral, small and abortive, or 

 obsolete; the middle one perfect, 3-androus, awnless ; the. 

 upper one staminate only, 3-androus, bristle-awned toward* 

 the tip. 



