II. Grasses with at least two flowers—of which one may be imperfect—in the spikelet.
A. Only one perfect flower, the other staminate only or altogether rudimentary. Inflorescence a loose or racemous panicle.
In Hordeum sylvaticum the two lateral spikelets occasionally conform to this heading (see p. [100]), and the same is said to be the case sometimes in Aira (see p. [104]). The rudiments are extremely minute, however, and hardly suffice to justify the removal of these grasses to this group.
In one or two species of Aira the panicle may be somewhat contracted and tuft-like.
The very rare Hierochloe has one perfect flower, and two lower staminate ones in each spikelet.
(a) A shade-grass found in woods. Awnless. One flower perfect, the other (upper) reduced to a small stalked knob. Inflorescence racemous.
Melica uniflora, L.
The much rarer M. nutans has two perfect flowers and a similar rudiment (see note, p. [104]).
(b) Grasses of open situations, spikelets with awns. The reduced flower staminate.
✲ Upper flower perfect, lower staminate only. Tall oat-like meadow-grass, with a bent and twisted dorsal awn to the outer palea of the lower flower: silky hairs at the base of paleæ.
Arrhenatherum avenaceum, Beauv.