GRASSES OF OHIO 291 



Tribe, Hordeae. Barley Tribe. 



Crosses with laterally compressed. 2-scveral-Howered spikelets 

 jointed above the empty glumes and arranged on opposite sides of a 

 jointed rachis forming equilateral spikes; spikelets sometimes with but i 

 perfect Rower and a mere vestige of the second ; leaf -blades with a pair 

 of more or less ivell-developed appendages at the base. 



22. Lolium L. Darnel. 



Annual or perennial grasses with simple ereet stems, flat leaves, 

 and terminal spikes. Spikelets several-flowered, solitary, with the 

 edge turned toward the rachis ; empty glumes rigid ; lemmas rounded 

 on the back, 5-7-nerved, awned or awnless; palet 2-keeled ; grain 

 adherent to the palet. 



1. Outer empty glume shorter than the spikelet; short-lived perennials. 2 



1. Outer empty glume as long or longer than the spikelet: lemmas awned or 

 awnless; annuals. L. temulentum. 



2. Lemmas awnless. L. perenne. 

 2. Lemmas, at least the upper ones, awned. L. multiflorum. 



1. Lolium perenne L. Red Darnel. A short-lived perennial 

 grass with an erect, simple stem, }/2-2y 2 ft. high, and a flat spike. 

 Spikelets 5-10-fiowered ; lemma obscurely nerved, acuminate, awn- 

 less. Cultivated -as a pasture grass and also used for hay. 



In cultivated fields and roadsides. Also called ray-grass and 

 rye-grass. June-August. Rather general. From Europe. 



2. Lolium multiflorum Lam. Awned Darnel. A short-lived 

 perennial grass with tufted stems, roughened below and in the in- 

 florescence, 2-3 ft. high, and with a loose spike of 20-30 spikelets. 

 Spikelets 10-20-flowered ; lemma awned. Cultivated for hay. 



In fields and roadsides. Also called Italian rye-grass. June. 

 July. From Europe. Hamilton, Madison. 



3. Lolium temulentum L. Poison Darnel. An annual glabrous 

 grass with simple, erect stems, 2-4 ft. high, and a fiat, coarse spike. 

 Spikelets 5-7-flowered ; outer empty glume equalling or exceeding 

 the spikelet; lemma obscurely nerved, awned or awnless. The grain 

 of this grass is said to be poisonous. 



In waste and cultivated fields: often a troublesome weed. June- 

 August. Xo specimens. From Europe. 



23. Agropyron J. Gaertn. Couch-grass, Wheat-grass. 



Perennial grasses with simple stems and terminal spikes. Spike- 

 lets 3-many-flowered, solitary in the notches oi the rachis. the side 



