320 TRIANJDRIA DI&YNIA. HolcUS, 



This is the largest species I know ; it is a native of hedges, Sec. 

 amongst the iBountams. 



Moot iigueous, perennial. — Culms erect, from four to twelve feet 

 high, often as thick as the little linger, round, and smooth, insite re- 

 plete with a fibrous spongy substance — Leaves smooth, from one to 

 two feet long ; and from one to two inches broad at tiie base, taper- 

 ino- from thence to a fine point. — Fanides erect, oval, or oblong, 

 from one to two feet long, composed of alternate, ramous, filiform, 

 expanding or bowing branches. — Calj/x, valves equal, four times short- 

 er than the corol. — Corol, exterior valve fringed round the margins, 

 with long, soft, white hairs. — Stamens two. 



Obs. The leaves of this plant are much more like those employ- 

 ed by the Chinese to pack up various articles wiih, than any other 

 I have yet seen. 



HOLCUS. Schreh. Gen. N. 1565. 



Polygamous. Calyx, glume two-valved, one to three-flowered. 

 Corol, glume two-valved, the hermaphrodite awned. — Stamina three. 

 Styles two. 



1. li. nervosiis. R. 



Elect, hairy. Panicle oblong. Glumes three, and five-nerved, cus- 

 pidate, two-flowered ; Jlowers both sessile, one hermaphrodite and 

 awned ; the other male and awnless. 



A native of Coromandel. 



Culms erect, ramous ; long, wiry roots issuing from the lower 

 joints.— leases and their sheaths papillose, hany.— Panicles oblong, 

 smooth. Ramifications alternate, simple.— F/oa;er5 paired ; one ses- 

 sile, the other pedicelled. — Calyces two-flowered, three to five-nerv- 

 ed, smooth, straight, cuspidate, longer than the flowers. — Corol in 

 both two-valved, the exterior floret male, large, and awnless, the in- 

 ner minute, hermaphrodite, and awi>ed. — Stamens three. — StyUt 

 two, in the hermaphrodite. 



