GBAMINE^. 



In rather dry meadows and pastures, 

 in temperate and southern Europe and 

 Russian Asia, extending northward into 

 southern Scandinavia. Frequent in Eng- 

 land and Ireland, much less so in Scot- 

 land. Fl. summer. Like the perennial 

 O., it varies in the glabrous or hairy leaf- 

 sheaths, and in the length of the points 

 of the glumes. 



973 



Fig. 1181. 



XIX. FALSE-OAT. ARRHENATHEHUM. 



A single species, separated from Oat as having the lower flower of 

 each spikelet male only. At the same time, a minute rudimentary 

 prolongation of the axis above the upper flower shows its general 

 affinity with the Foceacece, not with the Panicacece, to which it might 

 be technically referred. 



1. Common False-Oat. Arrhenatherum avenaceum, Beauv. 



(Eig. 1182.) 



(Holcus, Eng. Bot. t. 813.) 



An erect grass 2 or 3 feet in height, perennial but not forming large 

 tufts. Leaves few and flaccid. Panicle narrow and loose, 6 or 8 inches 

 long, spreading only whilst the flowers are open. Spikelets 3 to 4 

 lines long, 2-flowered, the 2 outer empty glumes thin and pointed, the 

 second nearly as long as the flowers, the outermost rather shorter. 

 The lowest flowering glume has a fine bent awn on the middle of the 



