88 POLYPOGOX. [class III. ORDER u. 



English Flora, vol. i. p. 8G. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 302. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 3G. — Agros'tis pani'cea, English Botany, t. 

 1704. 



Root fibrouffj branched. Stems several from the same root, erect, 

 about a foot high, smooth, iQafy in the lower part. Leaves rather short, 

 especially the upper ones, acute, ilat, striated, the margins and ribs 

 rough. Sheaths smooth, striated, the ui^per one slightly inflated. Li- 

 gida long, obtuse, ribbed, frecjuently torn. Inflorescence from one' to 

 two inches long, lobed, pale and silky from the long shining awns. 

 Glumes very small, equal, shining from the white silky hairs with which 

 it is more or less clothed : the outer valve cleft at the extremity, the 

 awn arising from between the lobes ; the inner scarcely cleft, the awn 

 from the apex. Glumella much smaller than the glumes, external one 

 the largest, bifid, with a short rough awn from between the lobes ; in- 

 ternal smaller, awnlcss. Anthers small, as are also the st}/les and 

 stifftnas. 



Habitat, — Rare. In moist pastures near the sea, iu Hampshire and 

 Essex ; near Cley, Norfolk ; Guernsey. 



Annual ; flowering from July to August. 



2. P. littora'lis, Sm. (Fig. III.) perennial Beard-grass. Awn rough, 

 about the length of the somewhat acute valves of the glumes ; 

 root perennial, with creeping underground stems. 



English Flora, vol. i. p. 80. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 302. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 36. — Agros'tis littora'lis, English Botany, t, 

 1251. 



Root with branched underground stems. Stems branched, smooth, 

 procuml)ent, and bent at the joint, the lower ones sending out fibrous 

 radicles, erect in the upper part. Leaves striated, rough on the edges, 

 and also on both sides. Sheaths smooth, striated, scarcely inflated. 

 Lif/ula oblong, striated, decurrent. Li florescences two or more inches 

 long, lobcd, shining, purplish, dense, from the numerous small 

 crowded florets. Glumes longer, more acuminated, less hairy, awn 

 much shorter, than in the foregoing species : the outer valve is cleft at 

 the extremity, with the awn arising from between the lobes ; the inner 

 tapering into its terminal awn. Glumella shorter than the glumes : 

 outer valve bifid at the apex, with a short rough awn arising from 

 between the teeth; the /«»?/• awnless. Sfi/les short. S I igmas icAlhcry- 

 Seed small, ovate, enveloped in the glumella. 



Habitat. — Rare. In muddy salt marshes, near Cloy, Norfolk ; in 

 Essex; and near Woolwich. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



This species " was long supposed peculiar to England, but it is now 

 found in Germany." — Hooker. It is a very distinct species, formerly 

 referred to the genus Agrostis, 



