j^gilops of the South of France. 
169 
taller than those of ovata ; they arc 30 to 35 centiin. in 
heif^ht. The upper leaves are lono^cr, and almost reach the first 
tooth of the axis. The ears, including the awns, are 5 to 6 
centim. in length, and are composed of from 4 to 6 spikelets, 
of which 2, and sometimes 3, are fertile. The nerves of the 
valves of the glumes are tliickly covered with short thick hairs, 
and are consequently very rough to the touch. This species 
differs from the two preceding — 
1. By tlie green colour of all the parts of the plant. 
2. By the breadth of the valves of the glumes. 
3. By the very dark colour which the ears assume when 
ripening. 
4. By the larger size of its corn ; and 
5. By the surface of the corn, which is covered with a sort 
of brown silk. 
The colour of the grains varies ; some are yellow, and otliers 
are dark brown, or nearly black. 
The grains, when germinating, produce three radicles. They 
are floury, but harder than those of ovata. 
4. j3^(/iIops triticoides, Req. This plant was first described by 
M. Bertoloni. His description is of the plant found by Requien 
in the environs of Avignon and Nimes, in 1824, and named by 
him triticoides. In his herbarium there are specimens of the 
plant, and accompanying them are the following characters, 
which he assigned to it: — 
Leaves glabrous ; grains pubescent. Ear composed of 4 or 
5 spikelets ; this ear is oblong, cylindrical, of the same length 
as that of triuncialis, and of the same size as the ear of 
triaristata. The spikelets are 4-flowered and glaucous. The 
valves of the glume are nearly glabrous, furrowed, with ribs 
rough to the touch ; they are truncated, and have 2 unequal awns, 
with 1 intermediate tooth. The exterior valve of the floret is 
terminated by an awn nearly as long as, equal to, or sometimes 
longer than, that of the glume. There ends the description. 
Now this jE. triticoides of Requien, which is by its appear- 
ance so easy to distinguish from the other species, and is so 
cle.arly characterised, is not a distinct species : it is only a par- 
ticular form assumed, under certain circumstances, by the two 
other well-known species described above, under the names of 
ovata, L., and 2E. triaristata, Willd. 
I have clearly ascertained that this is the case by the fol- 
lowing observations, which can be easily verified by any one 
who will visit Agde in the month of May. It is very likely that 
they may be also verified in the environs of Nimes and Avignon, 
where M. Requien found his yE. triticoides, and indeed wherever 
this foi-m is met with. 
