GRAMINA. 
79 
SPECIES V.-AVEN A PATH A. L!»n. 
Plate MDCCXLI. 
Eeich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. I. Tab. CVI. Fig. 218. 
BlUot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 1372. 
Annual. Without radical leaves or barren shoots. Leaves very 
broadly linear, flaccid, thin, flat, with numerous slender rough ribs, 
every third, fourth or fifth of which is stronger than the others, dull 
green; sheaths smooth; ligule short, laciniate. Panicle sub-erect, 
very lax, at first subsecund, ultimately spreading in all directions. 
Pedicels capillary,* mostly longer than the spikelets. Spikelets droop- 
ing, ultimately pendulous, numerous, opening widely during and after 
flowering, S-flowered, more rarely 2 -flowered, green, with dark brown 
awns. Glumes equal, longer than the spikelets, herbaceous, with 
narrow scarious margins, both commonly with 9 ribs. Lower pale 
lanceolate, gradually acuminate, terminated by 2 short scabrous setae 
less than one-tenth the length of the rest of the pale, ultimately 
coriaceous and usually dark-brown, with numerous long close yellow 
or orange hairs on the back and sides, extending from the base to the 
middle or only at the base, or very rarely wholly glabrous, 5-nerved, 
the nerves rather faint and vanishing about half-way down towards 
the base. Awn present in all the florets, from about the middle of 
the pale, that of the lowest floret about twice as long as the upper 
glume. Axis fragile beneath the lowest floret, hairy at the base of 
the florets, the hairs at the base of the second floret extending 
beyond the base of the pale for about one-third of its length. 
Spikelets mostly 3 -flowered. Lower pales densely clothed with 
hairs from the base up to the point where the awn is inserted ulti- 
mately dark brown. 
Yar. 3, intermedia. 
A. intermedia, Lmdgren. in LhvM. Bot. Not. 1841, p. 151. 
A. hybrida Fetennann. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. ed. ii. p. 917. 
Spikelets 2 or 3-flowered. Lower pales glabrous, except at the 
base, or, in the lowest floret, with also a few widely scattered hairs 
about the insertion of the awn, ultimately pale yellowish olive. 
A weed in cultivated ground. Xot very generally common, but 
widely distributed in England. Local in Scotland, and probably not 
native, though it extends to Orkne}- and Shetland. Rare and local 
