250 Ward. — On Relations between Host and Parasite 
averaged 4-5 cm. long by 1 mm. broad. It had a few 
spreading hairs, but showed very few positive characters. 
The sheath was completely closed to near the apex, the 
ligule short and slightly fringed, and the lamina showed 
about three whitish lines on each side of the midrib. The 
first developed leaf is hardly acute : the succeeding taper to 
a long point and measure 10-12 cm. by 2 mm. The keel 
is hardly noticeable. These seedlings were the narrowest of 
all as regards leaves. 
B. mollis , L. 1 
The f seed 5 of B. mollis comes next in size, being 9 x 1-5- 
2 mm. and the awn 8-9 mm. The five nerves on the palea 
are quite clear at the top, where the palea is also flattened, 
giving the greater width and tendency to a ‘ coracle-shape * 
to the whole. In the mass the seed is pale greyish-yellow. 
The palea of the germinating seed (four days old) was 
broader and more flattened than in the preceding three forms. 
In seedlings a week old the one leaf stands up 2 cm. and 
is 1-25 mm. broad, with three veins and a few hairs especially 
on the upper surface. The sheath bronzed and veined, but 
soon becoming bright green. In the intermediate pit the 
spears were 1 cm. high in five days. In three-leafed seedlings 
the first leaf is 6-7 cm. by 1-25 mm. and acute, the third 
about 9 cm. by 2 mm. with three pale lines and four ridges 
each side the midrib. Keel hardly observable. Habit some- 
what stiff. Hairiness not pronounced. Sheaths slightly tinged 
with red. 
On the whole it is most like B. racemosus, but even more 
expanded and more distinctly nerved in the outer palea: 
plumule green. 
B. mollis comes from Europe, Africa, and North Asia, and 
is one of our commonest road-side and farm-weeds. It is 
not confined to dry places, however, and I find it common 
in the wet meadows near Lingay Fen, and elsewhere in Cam- 
bridge. There are at least three ordinary varieties, according 
1 B. hordeaceus , L. See Ascherson, Syn. d. mittel-europ. FI. 
