(64.) 
HO'LCUS* *. 
Linnean Class and Order. Tria'ndria f, Digy'nia. 
Natural Order. Grami'ne^e. Juss. Gen. PI. p. 28. — Lindl. 
Syn. p. 293 ; Introd. to Nat. Syst. p. 292. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 
393. — Sm. Gram, of Bot. p. 68.; Engl. FI. v. i. p. 71. — Loud. 
Hovt. Brit. p. 542. 
Gen. Char. Panicle loose. Calyx of 2 nearly equal, keeled, 
ribless, awnless glumes (valves), containing a spikelet of 2 florets 
(fig. 1.) the upper with stamens only, and awned; the lower per- 
fect and awnless, Corolla of 2 unequal Paleae (valves) . Nectary a 
cloven, smooth, membranous scale (fig. 3). Filaments 3 in each 
floret, hair-like, very delicate. Anthers oblong, notched at each 
end. Germen egg-shaped. Styles short, widely spreading. Stigmas 
large, feathery. Needs covered by the hardened permanent corolla. 
The calyx of 2 nearly equal, keeled glumes, containing 2 florets ; 
the upper floret with stamens only, and awned, the lower perfect 
and awnless ; and the seed coated with the hardened corolla ; will 
distinguish this from other Genera of Gramineae with a panicled 
inflorescence. 
T wo species British. 
HO'LCUS LANA'TUS. Meadow Soft-grass. Yorkshire 
Whites. Yorkshire Fog. 
Spec. Char. Calyx-glumes rather blunt, with a sharp point. 
Imperfect floret with a curved awn included within the calyx. No 
tuft of hairs at the joints of the culm. Root fibrous. 
Eng. Bot. 1. 1169. — Curt. FI. Lond. t. 228. — Knappe’s Gram. Brit. t. 37. — 
Host’s Gram. Austr. v. i. p. 2. t. 2. — Schreber’s Beschreibung der Griiser, t. 
20. f. 1. — Linn. Sp. PI. 1485. — Huds. FI. Angl. p. 440. — Sm. FI. Brit. v. i. p. 
p. 89. Eng. FI. v. i. p. 107. — With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 158. — Lindl. Syn. p. 
305. — Hook. Brit. FI. p. 38. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 135. — Light f. FI. Scot, 
v. ii. p. 631. — Leers’ FI. Herb. (2nd ed.) p. 221. t. 7. f. 6. — Mart. FI. Rust. t. 
118. — Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 40. — Abbot’s FI. Bedf. p. 218. — Purt. Midi. FI. v. ii. 
p. 492.— Relb. FI. Cantab, (3rd ed.) p. 33. — Graves’ British Grasses, t. 46. — 
Sincl. Hort. Gram. Woborn. p.21. f. 10. ; and p. 163, with a plate. — FI. Devon, 
pp. 14 and 122. — Johnson’s FI. of Berw. v. i. p. 21. — Walk. FI. of Oxf. p. 21. 
— Baxter’s Library of Agricultural and Horticultural Knowledge, (2nd ed.) p. 
306 f. — Gramin miliaceum pratense rnolle, Ray’s Syn. p. 404. 
Localities. — I n meadows and pastures. Common. 
Fig. 1. A Spikelet, showing the 2 Calyx-glumes, containing within them the 
2 florets, each with 3 stamens. — Fig. 2. The Germen, 2 Styles, and feathery 
Stigmas of the lower or perfect floret. — Fig. 3. The 2 Paleae of the Corolla, and 
the cloven membranous Nectary. All magnified. 
* From elko, Gr. to extract, because it was supposed to have the property 
of drawing out thorns from the flesh. Dr. Hooker. 
t See Phdlaris canariensis, p. 56. note t. 
| “ The Library of Agricultural and Horticultural Knowledge,” &c. 2nd 
edition, royal 8vo. 1832; Printed and Published by Mr. J. Baxter, of Lewes, 
Sussex. This volume contains a vast quantity of very useful and valuable in- 
formation on the particular subjects on which it professes to treat ; and is one of 
the very best books that can be recommended either 1o the Country Gentleman, 
the Farmer, or the Gardener, as a book of general reference, on subjects con- 
nected with Farming and Gardening. 
