orina, Linn, Sheep's Fescue. (Fig. 555.) A low tufted perennial without rootstocks having numer ous very narrow, wiry basal leaves, narrow panicles, and short-awned lemmas. A variable species, native of temperate regions of the northern hemisphere.
Much valued in Europe as a pasture grass, especially for sheep, but little grown in this country. Varieties or closely allied species of this go under the names of various-leaved fescue (F. heterophylla), hard fescue (F. durius mitt), and fine leaved or slender fescue (F. tenit(folia).
rubra, Linn. Red Fescue. (Fig. 556.) Resembles F. (mina, but usually larger and with a more spreading panicle. Distinguished chiefly by the presence of short rootstocks or creep. ing bases of the stems, which are often red in color. Some varieties are native along the Atlantic coast and in the western mountains.
26. Bromus (Greek name for oats). A genus of about one hundred species of annual or perennial grasses, mostly of the north temperate zone. Spikelets several-flowered ; lemmas rounded on the back or sharply keeled, five- to nine-nerved, two-toothed at the apex and awned from between the teeth, or sometimes awnless. Inflorescence a panicle of rather large, erect or pendulous spikelets. Leaves flat. Our native species are all perennial. Several annuals introduced from Europe are troublesome weeds, such as cheat or chess (B. secalinus).
inernsis, Leyss. Russian Brome grass. (Fig. 557.) An erect perennial two to five feet high, with strong creeping rootstocks and a loose, open panicle four to six inches long. Spikelets scarcely flattened, erect, about an inch long, awnless. Native of Europe, but recently introduced into this country and proving a valuable forage grass in the North west, from Kansas to North Dakota and Washing ton. Called also smooth, Hungarian, Austrian and awnless brome grass.
sccalinus, Linn. Chess. Cheat. (Fig. 558.) An annual, one to three feet high, with open panicle, smooth sheaths and'short-awned spikelets. A corn mon weed introduced from Europe but cultivated for forage in Oregon and Washington. A closely allied species (B. raccmosus commutatus) is common and can be distinguished by the pubescent sheaths and the less rigid and turgid lemma, especially in fruiting spikelets. The idea that chess may turn into wheat is now one of the curiosities of agricul tural tradition.
unioloides, H. 13. K. Rescue-grass. (Fig. 559.) A tall annual (one to three feet) with an open panicle of broad, much-flattened, nearly or quite awnless spikelets. Native of South America. Cultivated in the southern states for winter forage. Also called
arctic-grass, Schrader's brome-grass, Australian brome and Australian oats.
27. Lolium (the old Latin name). A genus of six species of grasses in northern Europe and Asia.
Spikelets several-flowered, solitary and sessile on alternate sides of the rachis, placed with the edges against the axis, forming a two-rowed spike.
multiflorum, Lam. (L. Italicum, A. Br.). Italian Rye-grass. (Fig. 560.) A short-lived perennial or scarcely more than a biennial. Spikelets with awns about as long as the lemma. On the Pacific coast sometimes called Australian rye-grass.
perenne, Linn. Perennial Rye-grass. (Fig. 561.) Similar to the preceding, but somewhat more per sistent and with awnless spikelets. Long cultivated in England, where it is highly esteemed as a forage grass.
28. Secale (Latin name for rye). A genus of grasses containing two species, one of which is widely cultivated. Native in the Old World. Spikelets two-flow ered, solitary and sessile, alter nate on opposite sides of a con tinuous rachis, forming a dense terminal spike. Glumes narrow and pointed ; lemmas keeled, five-nerved, long-awned from the apex.
cereale, Linn. Rye. (Fig. 562.) A well-known cereal in common cultivation in all cool climates. [See Rye.] 29. Triticum (Latin n am e for wheat). A genus of ten or twelve species of the Mediter ranean region. Spikelets two to five-flowered, solitary and sessile, alternate on opposite sides of the rachis, forming a dense terminal spike. Glumes ovate, three to many-nerved. Annuals.
sativum, Lam. (T. vulgare, Vill.). Wheat. (Fig. 563.) A common grain, long cul tivated and existing in well marked races and numerous varieties. The spikelets may be awned (bearded) or awnless (smooth). [See Wheat.] 30. Agropyron (Greek, wheat-grass). A genus of about thirty-five species of perennial grasses, distributed in all tem perate climates. Spikelets three- to several-flowered, soli tary and sessile at each joint of the axis, forming a terminal spike. Glumes narrow an d pointed. Differs from Triticum in the shape of the glumes and in having the lemma deciduous with the grain to which it ad heres. Commonly called wheat-grasses. In native meadows in the Northwest several species are util izd. especially .1. (with ntal , Seribn., called blue stem and blue-joint in the Rocky mountain region (not the blue-stem of the prairie states, ndropo,qon ftr catus. Muhl., nor of Minnesota, Cala 772 a grost is Ca ?la densis), and the slender wheat grass of Montana and Washing ton (_4. tenerum, Vases). The seed of the latter is now a commercial article.