166 KNAPPIA. [class III. ORDER n. 



English Botany, t. 760.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 175. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 68. — Ophiu'rus incurva'tiis, Becmv. Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 295. 



/9, more slender; spike nearly erect. Rottbol'liajilifoi-' mis, B.oth. 



Root small, fibrous, downy. Stems numerous, procumbent, and 

 spreading at the base, the upper part erect, from six to twelve inches 

 long, round, hard, smooth and shining, leafy. Leaves narrow, linear, 

 striated, smooth on the under side, rough above and on the margins. 

 Sheaths slightly swelling, smooth, and striated. Ligula short, obtuse. 

 Inflorescence an erect, cylindrical, incurved spike. Rachis remarkably 

 flexuose, forming a joint at the base of each floret, at which it readily 

 separates, especially when matured, carrying with it the floret contain- 

 ing the ripe fruit. Spikelets spreading when in flower, but, both before 

 and after, close pressed within the notches of the rachis, so as to form 

 a round, smooth surface. Glumes lanceolate, united at the base, some- 

 times the whole length, .and forming a single valve closely fitting the 

 notches of the rachis, ribbed. Florets one or two, but only one perfect, 

 the second mostly rudimentary. Glumelles two, lanceolate, equal, 

 membranous. Anthers yellow. Stigmas feathery, spreading. Fruit 

 oblong, enclosed within the florets. 



Habitat. — Sea-coast, in salt marshes ; not very common. Abundant 

 in Ireland. /S. Aberlady Bay, Scotland — G. Don. 



Annual; flowering from July to August. 



GENUS LI. KNAPTIA. Sm. Knappia. 



Gen. Char. Inflorescence racemose, simple. Glumes two, truncated, 

 nearly equal, awnless. Glumelles two, equal, obtuse, awnless, 

 hairy. — Named in honour of 3/r. Kitapp, an English botanist, and 

 author of " Gramiua Britannica," or representation^ of the British 

 grasses. 



1. K. agrosli' ilea, Sm. (Fig. 204.) early Knappia. 



English Botany, t. 1127. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 81. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 58. — Agros'tis min'ima, Linn., Charnagros'tis 

 77iin'ima, Boikh., Lindley, Synopsis, p. 301. 



The whole plant very small and delicate, not more than an inch or 

 two inchcs'and a half high, and " only one species is known." Root 

 long, of numerous small branched fibres. Ste77is several from the same 

 root, erect, smooth, slender, triangular. Leaves short, linear, obtuse, 

 roughish : skraths nearly as long, pale, thin, membranous at the base, 

 somewhat inflated ; the lower ones shortly fade and decay : liguld 

 obtuse, torn at the extremity. luflorcscc/ice a simple raceme of few 

 erect flowers, rachis somewhat zigzag in the upper part. Glu7nes two, 

 nearly equal; tiuucated at the apex, compressed and green or purplish 



