TRIANDRIA— DIGYNIA.— Stipa. 161 



less downy than in B. sterilis, as are also the sheaths. Stipula 

 similar. Panicle totally different, being erect, tufted, and rather 

 close. Spikelets also erect, purple or brownish. Florets essen- 

 tially distinguished by having 2 strong ribs only, which are 

 close together, adjoining to the membranous margin at each 

 side. There are occasionally traces of an intermediate rib, in 

 the upper part only, between these and the keel. Hence Pro- 

 fessor Schrader describes 7 ribs, including, of course, the keel. 

 Inner valve strongly fringed. Nect. of 2 narrow scales. Stamens, 

 whether in wild or luxuriant cultivated specimens, never more 

 than 2, as Roth also asserts, and as Dr. Withering observed in 

 Portugal. Styles short, lateral, much below the summit of the 

 germen, to which Roth found the stamens likewise attached, but 

 this circumstance is certainly not constant. Stigmas dense, fea- 

 thery. Seed lanceolate, channelled, attached to the inner glume. 

 Whether more than one species be really confounded under the 

 above synonyms, there being a vast difference of size in different 

 specimens, even in the respective parts, few botanists are as yet 

 perhaps competent to determine. I cannot question that my ac- 

 curate friend Schrader has found, as he says, in some instances, 

 3 stamens. This only increases the uncertainty. Content with 

 describing English specimens, as I have seen them, I prefer the 

 excellent name given bv a supereminent English botanist ; 

 though not the less aware of the impropriety of rejecting an es- 

 tablished appellation, however faulty, provided it be not altoge- 

 ther false or absurd. 



53. ST I PA. Feather-grass. 



Linn. Gen. 37. Juss. 30. Fl. Br. 138. Lam. t. 41. 



Cat. of 2 nearly equal, lanceolate, concave, lax, pointed 

 valves, containing a solitary floret. Cor. of 2 valves, 

 nearly equal in length ; the outer elliptic-lanceolate, in- 

 volute, slightly keeled, with a very long, terminal, twist- 

 ing awn, jointed, and finally separable, at the base ; inner 

 much narrower, linear, awnless, inflexed at the edges, 

 smooth. Nect. of 2 linear-lanceolate, membranous, pointed 

 scales. Filam. shorter than the corolla. Anth. linear, 

 erect. Germ, oblong. Styles short, distinct. Stigmas cy- 

 lindrical, feathery. Seed cylindrical, pointed, loose, closely 

 enveloped in the hardened outer valve of the corolla, 

 which is very sharp, and barbed with bristles, at the base, 

 so as to penetrate and fix itself in the earth. 



Roots fibrous, generally tufted and perennial. Leaves slen- 

 der, flat. Stems round, jointed, smooth, upright, leafy. 

 Panicle simple or branched. Flowers erect, slender, with 

 long awns, bent just above the twisting part; then straight; 

 either feathery or naked. 



VOL. I. m 



