[ 



THK («HA.S8K.S OK TENNKSSKK. 121 



and is esteemed valuable for winter grazing. If grazed closely or 

 frequently mowed, the roots will often live for several years, like 

 those of a perennial grass. 



Schrader's Brome-grass, Australian Oats and Arctic-grass are 

 other names for this Bronuis. 



Tribe XII. HORDE.K. 



Spikelets one- to many-flowered, usually hermaphrodite, sessile 

 along the common rachis, forming a simple or compound spike.* 

 Glumes awned or awnless. 



A small tribe of twenty genera and about one hundred and thirty 

 species. It is an important division, however, for it includes rye, 

 barley and the many varieties of wheat. English and Italian 

 Rye-grasses (Lo/ium species) are the chief meadow grasses of the 

 tribe. 



58. LOLIUM. Linn. Sp. PI. 83. 



Spikelets several-flowered, solitary and sessile in alternate 

 notches of the continuous rachis, forming a slender spike, one edge 

 of each spikelet placed against the rachis; rachilla articulated be- 

 tween the florets. Empty glumes at the base of the spikelet one 

 (two in the terminal spikelet), on the side away from the rachis 

 (exterior) shorter than or exceeding the florets. Flowering 

 glumes rounded on the back, five- to seven-nerved, nerves converg- 

 ing above, apex obtuse, acute, or awned. Palea two keeled. Sta- 

 mens three. Styles very short, distinct; stigmas ])lumose. Grain 

 smooth, adherent to the palea. Annual or perennial grasses, with 

 simple erect culms, flat leaves and simple terminal spikes. 



Species six, in Europe, North America, and temperate Asia. 

 Two, with several varieties, introduced into the United States. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



I. Empty glumes as long as or exceeding the spikelet .... 



3. L. TEMULENTUM. 



1. Empty glumes shorter than the spikelet 2 



2. Flowering glumes awnless i. L. perenne. 



2. Flowering glumes awned 2. L. Italicum. ■• 



I. Lolium perenne Linn. Perennial Rye-grass. 



Plate XLIV. Figure 175. 



A smooth, leafy perennial, one to three feet high, with slender 

 terminal spikes three to ten inches long. Spikelets about six 

 lines long, five- to twelve-flowered, rather distant or crowded 

 above; empty glume much shorter than the spikelet ; flowering 

 glumes obscurely nerved, obtuse, cuspidate, or very short awn- 

 pointed. 



♦strictly speaking the spike Is simple when the sessile spikelets are one-flowered, 

 and compoumf when more than one -flowered. 



