t;i.A88 III. ORDER U. 



AGROSTIS. 93 



is very small with a few white hairs at its base on each side. Anther 

 purplish. Sti/Ies distinct. 



Habitat. — A very local grass, almost confined to the south and 

 south-west parts of England ; as Hampshire, Devonshire, and Cornwall, 

 perennial flowering in June and July. 



This grass, it is observed by Dr. Hooker, " is now ascertained to be 

 plentiful in Portugal, the native county of Eri'ca cili'aris and Reseda 

 fruticulo'sa, which Mr. Tozer has also had the good fortune to find 

 truly wild, iu Cornwall ; affording an additional proof, if any were 

 needed, of the great mildness of thedimate in that district of England, 

 and of its proximity in that respect to the more southern parts of 

 Europe." 



3. A. spi'caven'ti, Linn. (Fig. 117.) silki/ Bent-grass. Panicle loosely 

 spreading; glumes lanceolate, unequal, rough on the keel ; glu- 

 mella of two unequal valves, the external acutely bifid, and be- 

 tween the lobes a long straight rough awn ; the inner one smaller, 

 with the rudiment of a second floret at iis base. 



English Botany, t. 951. — English flora, vol. i. p. 89. — Hooker, Bri- 

 tish Flora, vol. i. p. 38. — Anemagros'tis spi'ca ven'ti, Lindley, Synopsis, 

 p. 304. 



Root fibrous. Stems sometimes numerous from the same root, from 

 one to three feet high, erect, repeatedly jointed, and frequently bent at 

 the base, leafy, smooth. Leaves linear, striated, slightly downy on the 

 upper side, rough on the under, upper* ones short, mostly involute. 

 Sheaths long, striated, smooth. Ligula long, lanceolate, frequently 

 torn. Injiorescence a loose, ample, repeated branched panicle, grace- 

 fully leaning on one side, and elegantly waving its glossy silk-like 

 florets with every passing breeze ; its branches are very slender, repeat- 

 edly subdivided, each terminated with a lanceolate floret. The glumes 

 spreading when in flower ; outer one the longest, smooth except on the 

 keel, frequently tinged witli imrple ; the inner one shorter, of a thinner 

 texture, except the roughish keel. Glumella of two valves, the outer 

 largest, hairy at the base, rough towards the apex, terminating in two 

 rather long acute lobes, having between them a long, straight, rough, 

 shining awn ; the inner smaller, enwrapped iu the external valve, and 

 bearing at its base the rudiment of a second floret. Strjles feathery. 

 Seed very small, ovate, smooth. 



Habitat. — Rare. In sandy fields which ore occasionally flooded. 

 In several parts of Norfolk, near Kingstou-upon-Thames, and Camber- 

 well ; Warrington, Lancashire. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



This beautiful grass, with its ample and gracefully spreading panicle, 

 does not appear to have been applied to any useful or agricultural pur- 



