Mr. Woops on the Genera of European Grasses. 31 
inasmuch as a name without any meaning must be less objectionable than 
one with a false meaning. Hoppe in 1799, according to Gaudin, gave to it 
the name of Sturmia, and Smith in English Botany, in 1803, that of Knappia. 
The proper name would, therefore, undoubtedly be Sturmia, if this had not 
been already given by Gærtner to a species of Guettarda, of which, whether 
it really deserve to constitute a genus or not I cannot tell. In this uncertainty 
I leave it for the present under the name by which it is best known to English 
botanists ; at the same time, I cannot but think that Sir J. E. Smith acted not 
wisely in altering the specific name. Minima merely implies that it is a very 
small Grass, and by no means necessarily that it is the smallest of the genus ; 
and agrostidea is quite as objectionable, as it would be easy to conceive a 
Grass much more like an Agrostis without losing the generic distinction of 
Knappia. 
STIPACEÆ. 
Spiculæ in an equal panicle, one-flowered, without any rudiment either 
above or below. Glumes herbaceous at the base, scariose at the margin, in- 
cluding the floret. The principal character is in the outer palea, which is 
convolute, and hardens on the seed without being attached to it. The extre- 
mity thus rolled up forms the base of an awn, which is connected by a more 
or less evident joining* at the base, and is in most instances geniculate and 
twisted. This character alone seems in all cases to carry the habit along 
with it, and to fix the plant among the Stipacee. Squamulæ 3. 
1. Piptatherum. Floret sessile. Paleze subcoriaceous. Awn straight, deci- 
duous. Panicle lax. | 
2. Stipa. Floret stalked. Paleæ coriaceous, the inner entire. Awn * an 
evident joining into the paleæ, geniculate and twisted. (In S. aristella 
the floret is sessile, and the awn straight and even). 
3. Achnatherum. Glumes scariose, herbaceous at the base. Floret stalked, 
enveloped in silky hairs. Paleæ membranous, Awn geniculate and 
twisted, the joining obscurely marked. 
i re s i 2 pw gs elbo 
* I use joint for the thing joined; joining, for the point of ART De T on a dud 
joining. This language appears to me more correct, and more convenient in botani riptions, 
the usual confusion between the two terms. 
