B R O M U S racemofusi
Smooth Brome-grafs.
TR1ANDRIA Digynià.
Ö en. C har. Cal. of 2 valves. Spikelet oblong','
2-ranked. Awn from below the top. Inner hujk
fringed.
Spe c. C har. Panicle nearly eredl, fpreading, fimple.
Spikelets ovate, o f aboüt fix imbricated, depreflèd,
ribbed, fmooth florets.
Syn . Bromus racemofus. Linn. Sp. PI. 114. Sm.
FI. Brit. 128. Tr. of Linn. Soe. v. 4. 286.
Hull. 25.
B. polymorph us ß , h Hudf. 49. var. 3, 4. With.
160.
Feftuca avenacea, fpicis ftrigofioribus, e glumis gla-
bris compadtis. Rail Syn. 414.
Gramen avenaceum pratenfe, glumâ tenuiore glabra.
DHL in Raii Syn. 414.
T HtEttE is reafon to prefume that this fpecies of Bromus,
though long overlooked by the generality of botanifts, is not
extremely rare. Since its characters have been more amply
explained than heretofore, we have received it from various
quarters. It modtly occurs in arable land, flowering in June.
The prefent fpecimen grew at Batterfea.
This is an annual plant, like the B. mollis, with which it
much agrees in general habit, except being rather mofe flender.
The hairs which clothe the (heaths of the leaves generally
point downward. It is however bell known by the following
marks. The panicle is fimple, for even in the moft luxuriant
fpecimens it is hard to find a branched or divided flower-(talk;
the fpikelets fcarcely ever confift o f more than fix florets, and are
always perfectly fmooth and ftiining, elegantly variegated with
green and white, and having lefs prominent ribs than thofe or
B . mollis. The awns are about the length of the valves, as in
the laft-raentioned fpecies.