Mr. T. Moore on Glyceria fluitans and G. plicata. 231 



about of equal size in the two kinds, but in the broad-leaved one 

 there are a greater number, about one-third more, of flowers. 



From the first, I had formed an opinion that the plants were 

 abundantly distinct either as species or varieties ; and with this 

 impression I took an early opportunity of sending them to Mr. 

 Babington, who, not having time to give them the requisite 

 careful examination, forwarded them to Dr. Parnell, and also 

 subsequently communicated to me Dr. ParnelFs opinion, that 

 " he could find no character to distinguish them.^' I could not 

 however believe that two grasses, as different in their foliation as 

 grasses well could be, were really identical ; and accordingly I 

 procured some seeds of the broad-leaved plant, which I conceived 

 to be the least common, and from them I have this season raised 

 a plant or two, which though not old enough to flower, retain 

 precisely the same character in their foliage, and thus furnish 

 collateral evidence that the plant in question is permanently dif- 

 ferent. 



Mr. Babington has subsequently given both plants a most 

 rigid and careful examination, and has detected the following 

 specific distinctions : — 



Narrow-leaved (G. fluitans). Broad-leaved (G. plicata). 



Outer pale oblong, nearly three times Outer pale oval, twice as long as 



as long as broad ; apex rounded, or broad ; apex obtuse-angled, with 



with a large triangular point, and three nearly equal teeth. 



a minute tooth on each side. 



Anthers about five times as long as Anthers three times as long as broad, 



broad, pale yellow when dry. fuscous when dry. 



Panicle nearly simple, with few Panicle with numerous branches from 



(1 — 3) branches from the lower the lower joints. 



joints. 



To which the following may be added : — 



Leaves tapering, acute. Leaves broad, less acute. 



Ligule twice as long as broad ; apex Ligule about as long as broad ; apex 

 rounded, ending in a fine point. with a long central tooth and two 



smaller toothlets. 



Another summer acquaintance with the plants, both in a wild 

 and cultivated state, tends only to confirm the conviction of their 

 being decidedly distinct. Mr. Babington has also several times 

 during the present summer examined fresh specimens ; and the 

 result is, that he considers the narrow-leaved plant to be un- 

 doubtedly the G. fluitans, and the broad-leaved one the G. pli- 

 cata of Pries. 



The figure given in ^Enghsh Botany,^ t. 1520, most nearly 

 agrees with the latter plant. 



Having directed attention to these plants, I shall leave for more 

 competent hands the task of pointing out the details of the dif- 

 ferences between them. 1 may mention, that I have since met 



