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P L A T E XCI I .
AVENA STRIGOSA.{SX^™*.
Triple-awned Oat.
Spec. Char. Calyx with two florets, each floret with three aristae, two short ones terminating
and one long one from the back.
Avena strigosa is a plant that has been so little noticed, that w e fancy it has been represented by
no author excepting Host, tab. 56 } it is slightly described byRetzius, and in the Spicilegium of
Schreber: the A. dubia o f Leers, though not our plant, is a little like it.------ The eye by the slightest
glance is struck with the appearance of this Avena: each footstalk supports one, but seldom more
than two spikets} calyx long, with about eight coloured ribs; florets two in each calyx, with the
rudiment: of an abortive one at the base o f the upper floret, like a club-shaped arista } each floret
has three aristae, two o f which are final, and scarlet, and the other longer, and dorsal, o f a darker
colourj a few hairs surround the base of the arista from the back: leaves and lower sheathing hairy
and coloured: these observations are chiefly to be found just, only in a young state: it is generally a
solitary plant, not clustered at the base, but only producing one straw j in maturity the floret valves,
which wrap up the seed, become of a deep black brown, with five ribs o f a lighter colour.
Little observed as this Avena has been, yet it may probably prove less rare than conjectured} it
is common in Scotland, and in S. Wales we have not unfrequently met with it, particularly about
Tenby: the agriculturist perhaps will deem its existence of no moment, as it will not probably be
cultivated with profit} the general Avenae of the field will maintain the preeminence they have
obtained, when placed in competition with our scarcer strigosa, whose thin and starveling seed will
afford but little nutriment to the animal, or flour to the miller} the botanist alone will appreciate
this restoration or confirmed addition to the British Flora.
A, the Calyx with its coloured ribs, as when young. .
B, the valves of the Corolla.
C, a set of matured Florets} they are at times almost white.