70 GRAMINEZ 
the midsummer sunshine, its numerous small spikelets look as if cut out of 
silver. Itis a hard rigid grass, and is refused by horses, while cows will 
only eat it when compelled by hunger. This species and 4. flexuosa are 
separated from Aira by some authors to constitute the genus Deschampsia. 
' 2. Smooth Alpine Hair-grass (A. alpina).—Panicle close; glumes 
smooth on the midrib ; awn from about the middle of flowering glume, and 
scarcely longer than the glumes. Perennial. This, which is usually a viviparous 
grass, grows abundantly on the mountains of Scotland and the west of 
Ireland, on moist rocks, ascending to over 4,000 feet. It has a glossy stem, 
a foot or a foot and a half high, its leaves are rough within and smooth on 
the outer surface, and often turning backwards. ‘The panicle, which appears 
in June and July, is very light, shghtly drooping, and composed of numerous 
pale brown shining spikelets, on nearly erect branches. The plant is by 
some regarded as a sub-species of 4. cwspitosa. 
3. Wavy Hair-grass (A. flevudésa).—Panicle spreading, with hair-like 
branches ; awn inserted near the base of the flowering glume, and extending 
far beyond it. Perennial. This grass has a slender erect smooth stem, a foot 
or a foot and a half high, and bears, in July, a pale greenish-brown, glossy, 
erect panicle. ‘The brown or purplish spikelets are much smaller than in 
the preceding species, and the wavy angular branches are not thicker than 
the most delicate sewing-thread. It grows abundantly on hill sides and 
heathy places, and has long, slender, bristle-like leaves. The variety 
montana has larger glumes, more purple in hue, and affects subalpine 
situations. 
4. Grey Hair-grass (4. canéscens).—Panicle long and crowded ; empty 
glumes taper-pointed, longer than the flowering ones; awn short, club- 
shaped, from near the base of the flowering glume. Annual. The tufted stems 
of this grass are six or eight inches high, and bear, in July, panicles of 
numerous spikelets, variegated with purple, green, and white, the awns 
being purplish-white, and the anthers purple. Its leaves are numerous and 
bristle-like. It is a very rare grass, found on the sandy sea-coast of Dorset, 
Norfolk, and Suffolk, and the Channel Islands; it has also been gathered 
from the chalk between Folkestone and Dover, in Kent. Some authors 
separate it from Aira on account of the clubbed awn, and write its name 
Corynephorus canescens. 
5. Silvery Hair-grass (4. caryophyllea).—Panicle spreading, branches 
three-forked ; spikelets blunt at the base; glumes nearly equal, rounded at 
the base, the upper part clear and white; awn longer than the glumes ; 
outer flowering glume deeply cleft. Perennial. This is a frequent grass on 
gravelly heaths and pastures, its often purplish stem rarely a foot high. It 
has a few short bristle-like leaves at its root, and several small rough ones 
on its stem. It flowers in June and July. Its panicle is of a silvery grey 
colour, and the spikelets are very small. 
6. Early Hair-grass (4. precox).—Panicle spike-like, oblong; awn 
much longer than the cleft flowering glume, and from below its middle. 
Annual. This little grass, inhabiting sandy hills and pastures, is rarely 
more than three or four inches high. Its panicle, which appears in May and 
June, is very small, erect, and close, and has few spikelets, often not more 
