142 VASCULAR PLANTS. 



perior flower. Glumes 2, rigid, subulate, in 

 the terminal spikelet, opposite; in the collateral 

 ones usually lateral ; lower one sometimes 

 wanting. Palets shorter than the glumes; the 

 lower inclosing the upper. 



0. leaves narrow and flattened; spikelets 

 solitary, immersed into the alternate excava- 

 tions of the rhachis; the infloresence represent- 

 ing a slender spike. 



33. Lolium, L. 



Spikelets go -flowered ; flowers imbricate dis- 

 tichous. Glumes 2, blunt; tie posterior often 

 wanting. Palets 2: the lower concave, some- 

 times aristate; upper, 2-carinate with the cary- 

 opsis adhering. 



0. It. leaves flattened; Spikelets solitary, 

 immersed into alternate excavations of the 

 rhachis, placed edgewise with it, and repre- 

 senting a single spike. 



34. Triticum, L. 



Spikelets 3 — go -flowered; flowers distichous, 

 placed with their flat sides to the rhachis. 

 Glumes 2; lower sometimes wanting. Palets 

 2; lower rounded; upper 2-carinate; the carina3 

 cilate. 



0. 71. leaves flattened; spikelets solitary, 

 immersed into the excavations of the rhachis, 

 representing a single spike. 



