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Host (Gra t History Use Propagation)

gra. 3. t.44 1022 1023 1028 1030 1013 1020 1029 1031 History, Use, Propagation, Culture, often fit for the scythe by the middle of May; it flowers twice a-year, and gives more bulk and weight of hay than any other grass. At Woburn the produce was nearly three-fourths greater from a clayey loam than from a sandy soil, and the grass from the latter was of comparatively less value in the proportion of four to six. What is almost peculiar to this grass, Poa pratensis and Anthoxanthum odoratum, the value of the grass of the latter math considerably exceeds that of the crop at the time of first flowering. A. geniculatus, and most of the other species of this genus (A. agrestis excepted) are valuable grasses both for hay and pasture. 165. Phleum. We have no information as to what the φλεoς of the Greeks was. The name being unoccupied has been applied by Linnæus to this plant. Some think the plant of the ancients was our Typha. P. pratense, the timothy-grass (so named from Timothy Hanson, who brought it from New York and Carolina about 1780), varies much in size according to soil and situation, and the root becomes bulbous in very dry grounds. Opinions are different as to its merits. Dr. Walker (Rural Econ. Hebrides, ii. 27.) thinks it may be introduced into the Highlands with good effect. W. Salisbury says, it is coarse and late. At Woburn, its "comparative merits were considered very great. It produces abundance of fine foliage early in spring, which, as it flowers late, may be cropped till an advanced period of the season without injury to the crop of hay." Unlike the Alopecurus pratensis, the value of the grass as hay when the seed is ripe is to that when it is in flower as 10 to 23. P. nodosum has gibbous joints, which might have been expected to be sugary like those of Fiorin, which, however, is not the case, as Sir H. Davy found them to be less nutritive than those of P. pratense, in the proportion of 8 to 28. 166. Achnodonton. From aχvη, a chaff or husk, and ὀδες, a tooth, in allusion to the toothed paleæ or inner valves of the flower. 167. Chilochloa. A genus formed by M. de Beauvois, to contain certain grasses referable to both Phalaris and Phleum, as formerly constituted. The name is derived from χiλoς, fodder, and χλoη, grass; but none of the species are remarkable for their qualities as grasses useful in husbandry. ORDER II.

TRIANDRIA DIGYNIA. 1018 Stem ascending knee-jointed, Panicle spiked cylindrical obtuse, Glumes connate at base obtuse 1019 Stem ascending knee-jointed, Spike compound cylindrical, Glumes obtuse fringed, Anthers orange col. 1020 Stem ascend. Raceme spiked ov. Glumes with a hairy keel beyond the mid. dilated, Upper sheath inflated 1021 Stem erect, Pan. spiked cylind. atten. at base, Glumes vill. fringed, Beards of paleæ twice as long as glumes 1022 Raceme spiked cylindrical, Glumes truncate mucronate with a fringed keel, Beard shorter than glume 1023 Raceme spiked ovate oblong, Glumes truncate mucronate with a fringed keel, Beard as long as glume 1024 Like P. pratense, but stems lower, Raceme shorter, Root knotty. A mere variety 1025 Spike ovate, Beard longer than glume divaricate angular rough, Root fibrous 1026 Panicle hairy spiked cylindrical, Glumes lanceolate acuminate with a fringed keel 1027 Glumes keeled smooth membranous at edge 1028 Outer glume a little prickly at the back 1029 Panicle spiked cylindrical smooth, Glumes lanceolate mucronate obtuse roughish 1030 Panicle spiked oblong ovate, Glumes lanceolate acute with a fringed keel, Stems ascending 1031 Panicle spiked cylindrical, Glumes wedge-shaped mucronate rough 1032 Panicle spreading heaped, Outer paleæ pencilform, inner shining 1033 Panicle spiked ovate, Glumes navicular entire at the end, Outer paleæ 2 1034 Panicle spiked oblong ovate, Glumes navicular toothed at end, Outer palea 1 1035 Panicle spiked oblong, Glumes navicular nearly entire, Outer palea 1, Stem knee-jointed 1036 Stem naked upwards, Spike slender lax, Glumes keeled acute 1037 Pan. spiked cylindrical, Intermediate floret hermaphrodite acuminate, the rest imperfect bitten off 1038 Panicle diffuse, Glumes acute shorter than florets, One floret hermaphrodite, one neuter 1039 Panicle beardless cylindrical spiked, Paleæ 2 smooth, Root bulbous 1040 Pan, spreading afterwards contracted, Florets less than glume, Beard clavate less than glume 1041 Pan. diffuse, Glumes obtuse, Florets longer than glumes (Catabrosa P. de B.) 1042 Panicle diffuse, Florets as long as glumes, Beard straight short, Leaves flat (Deschampsia P. de B.) 1043 Pan. contr. Glumes bearded villous at base, Rachis smooth very short, Leaves flat (Deschampsia P. de B.) 1044 Beardless, Panicle lanceolate lax erect, One floret stalked the other sessile, Leaves pubescent 1045 Leaves bristly, Stem naked, Panicle lax, Florets hairy at base, Beard nearly terminal shorter 1046 Pan. divar. Branches trichot. Flor. 3-fl. larger than glumes, Beard jointed longer than glumes, Leaves set. glumes, Leaves set. 1047 Bearded, Pan. spreading trichot. Pedunc. wavy, Florets scarcely longer than glume, Leaves setaceous 1048 Bearded, Pan. trichot. divar. Florets less than glume, Beard dorsal jointed longer than glume 1049 Pan. one-sided, Spikelets short 2-flowered, Florets as long as glume obtuse 2-toothed at end, Root fibrous 1050 Pan. 1-sided contracted, Spikelets 2-fl. less than glumes, One floret beardless, Root fibrous 1033 1032 1040 1042 1048 1050 and Miscellaneous Particulars. 168. Phalaris. An ancient name said to have arisen out of φaλoς, brilliant, because the plant had shining grains. P. canariensis is cultivated for the seeds, which are given to singing birds, and more especially the canary. It requires a loamy soil, well manured, clean, and in good tilth. The grain is sown in February , in drills, six inches apart, and the plants are thinned to two inches distance in the rows. The growth of canary grass is slower than that of the common weeds, with which it is in consequence liable to be overrun, if they are not kept under by hoeing and hand-weeding. The culture of this grass is chiefly carried on in the isle of the isle of Thanet, where the chaff is esteemed as a horse food; but the straw being short, it produces little fodder or manure. 169. Corynephorus. From κoρuvη, a club, and φερω, to bear. The beard is jointed, and the last articulation is club-shaped. 170. Aira, is the name applied by the Greeks to the Lolium of the Romans, our Lolium temulentum. It signifies something deadly," in allusion to the dangerous effects of that plant; but the name has no reference to any species of the genus to which it has been applied by Linnæus. A. aquatica is relished by cattle , and water-fowl are fond of the young shoots and seeds. It is introduced in decoys, by throwing plants in the water with a weight tied to them. A. cæspitosa is common in marsh-meadows, and occasions those excrescences called tussocks or hassocks which interrupt the progress of the scythe. Though cows eat the grass, horses will not. The stiff erect stalks frequently bear viviparous flowers. 171. Avena. A name of obscure origin. De Théis thinks it has been derived from the Celtic word aten, which comes from etan, to eat; and whence our common word ait, oat, has been obtained. A. sativa is the common cultivated oat, and A. nuda and tartarica are also sometimes cultivated. Of the first species there are numerous varieties, some more permanent, as the white and black; others temporary, as the potatoe oat, Angus oat, &c. No botanist has been able to ascertain satisfactorily the native place of this or any other of our cultivated grains. A. fatua is accounted a distinct species; but some think the naked, tartarian, common, 1051 satíva W. 1052 núda W.

TRIANDRIA DIGYNIA. common jn.jl Ap CLASS III.

Sr.m Host. gra. 2. t. 59 naked 2 jn.jh Ap Sr.m Host. gra. 3. t. 43 1053 fátua W. 1054 stérilis W. wild w 4 au Ap Britain cor. fi. S co