AYENA PRATENSIS.j Spec. Plant.
Many-flowered Oat-grass.
Spec. Char. Lower spiculae on footstalks, and in alternate pairs j upper ones solitary
and sitting.
Avena pratensis -mil be found plentifully on all the dry, heathy, and limestone soils of our eastern
and northern counties, where it cannot be mistaken for the preceding plant, if the slightest attention
is paid to the specific character; which will perhaps afford a sufficient distinction, and render a fuller
one unnecessary. The number of florets in each spicula is very variable, and therefore can form no
certain character, and it will be found in very dry situations to contain three florets, and in moist
places six ; in very luxuriant plants we have seen two spiculae on one of the lower peduncles, but
nevermore than two branches proceeding from a stage.--------- It is difiicult to say for what reason the
epithet J pratensis' was bestowed upon this plant, as w e fency it is never found in meadow land, or in
decidedly aquatic situations; it is rather an alpine grass; we find it rooted in the crevices of rocks on
all the northern mountains, where it attains a stature rarely observable in humbler situations, occasionally
acquiring the height of four feet.--------- It is probable that the agriculturist will ever consider
Avena pratensis as a weed only in his herbage, as it can afford but a miserable aid towards "the
sustenance o f animal life; its straw is harsh, and not nutritious, and its foliage is sparing in quantity
and dwarfish in stature.
A, the Calyx.
B, the Rachis of the spicula, with one corolla left on it, and two stripped off,
shewing the hair at their base.
C, a Spicula.