ZA * T R I T I C UM caninum.
Bearded Wheat-grass.
TRIANDRIA Digynia.
G en. C har. Cal. of 2 valves, solitary, many-flowered,
upon a zigzag toothed rachis.
S pec. Char. Calyx pointed, four-flowered, with about
five nerves. Florets awned. Leaves flat. Root
fibrous.
Syn. Triticum caninum. Huds. 58. Sm. FI. Brit. 159.
With. l^S. Hull. 28. Relli. 48. Sibth. 52. Ahhot.
27. Knapp, t. 1 12 .
Elymus caninus. Linn, Sp. PI. 124,
Gramen caninum aristatum, radice non repente, sylva-
ticum. Iiaii Syn. 390.
soil, more generally than the Elymus europceus, t. 1317.
F o u n d in woods and about hedges on a chalky or limestone
It flowers in July, and is perennial.
The root is composed of downy fibres, not at all creeping.
Stems several, straight, erect, about 2 feet high, leafy, round,
minutely striated, but very smooth to the touch. Leaves
almost upright, flat, acute, rough, and sometimes hairy,both sides. The sheaths of the upper ones are smooth, 3 on
those
4 o f the lowermost hairy. Stipula very short. Spike inches long, nearly erect, but at length drooping. Spikelets
3 or 4 alternate, except sometimes the lower ones, each of or flowers, which straight rough 3 are lanceolate, ribbed, tipped with long
awns. The inner glumes are fringed. The
valves of the calyx 5 are equal, lanceolate, shortly awned,
each having or ribs.
I f the opposite calyx-valves be attended to, this grass can
never be taken for an Elymus; its fibrous root, and whole
structure, keep it sufficiently distinct from T. repens. We
presume it is, to the farmer, as unprofitable as the latter,
though far less troublesome.