35. ARRHENATHÈRUM, Beauv. Oat-Grass. ([Pl. 12.])
Spikelets open-panicled, 2-flowered, with the rudiment of a third flower; the middle flower perfect, its glume barely bristle-pointed from near the tip; the lowest flower staminate only, bearing a long bent awn below the middle of the back (whence the name, from ἄῤῥην, masculine, and ἀθήρ, awn);—otherwise as in Avena, of which it is only a peculiar modification.
A. avenàceum, Beauv. Root perennial; culm 2–4° high; leaves broad, flat; panicle elongated; glumes scarious, very unequal.—Meadows and lots; absurdly called Grass of the Andes. May–July. (Nat from Eu.)
36. HÓLCUS, L. (partly). Meadow Soft-Grass. ([Pl. 12.])
Spikelets crowded in an open panicle, 2-flowered; the boat-shaped membranaceous glumes enclosing and much exceeding the remotish flowers. Lower flower perfect, its papery or thin-coriaceous glume awnless and pointless; the upper flower staminate, otherwise similar, but bearing a stout bent awn below the apex. Stamens 3. Styles plumose to the base. Grain free. (A name in Pliny for a kind of grass, from ὁλκός, attractive, of obscure application.)
H. lanàtus, L. (Velvet-Grass.) Perennial, soft-downy and pale; panicle oblong; upper empty glume mucronate-awned under the apex; awn of the staminate flower curved.—Moist meadows. June. (Nat. from Eu.)
37. AÌRA, L. Hair-Grass.
Spikelets very small, in an open diffuse panicle, of 2 perfect contiguous flowers. Glumes thin-membranaceous, the two lower persistent, nearly equal, acute, keeled; the flowering ones obscurely nerved, acutely 2-cleft at the apex, bearing a slender twisted awn below the middle. Stamens 3. Styles plumose to the base. Grain oblong, adnate.—Low annuals, with short setaceous leaves. (An ancient Greek name for Darnel.)
A. caryophýllea, L. Culms 5–10´ high, bearing a very diffuse panicle of purplish and at length silvery scarious spikelets.—Dry fields, Nantucket; also Newcastle, Del., W. M. Canby. (Nat. from Eu.)
A. præ̀cox, L. Culms tufted, 3–4´ high; branches of the small and dense panicle appressed; awn from below the middle of the glume.—Sandy fields, N. J. to Va.; rare. (Nat. from Eu.)