'J4(i Dr. Smith's Illustration of the Grass 



inflated sheaths of the leaves, evinced a generic affinity between 

 the two plants. So great indeed is this affinity, that, but for the 

 involucrum, the original Cornucop'ue cucuUaturn would be an Alo- 

 pecurus ; for we have lately become acquainted with some spe- 

 cies of the latter, whose flowers more nearly agree with it in 

 structure than those which Linneeus knew; Avhile the Cornucopia 

 alopecuroides turns out the very identical Phalaris utriculata of 

 Linnaeus, which is itself a real Alopeciirus. 



I have in another place (Tour on the Continent, vol. 2.^.293.) 

 mentioned that Linnaeus described his Phalaris utriculata from 

 other authors, without seeing it; a circumstance which may excuse 

 his very erroneous suspicion of its not being distinct from Pha- 

 laris paradoxa, as well as his not finding it out to be an Alopeciirus, 

 or that the new grass of Arduino was the very same thing. Both 

 these discoveries occurred to me at once, in examining Phalaris 

 utriculata for the purpose of making out its full description for 

 the Flora Graca. I found it in character and habit a decided 

 Alopeciirus, and that some new grasses, which Dr. Sibthorp, from 

 their affinity to Plilcum Gerardi of Jacquin, had considered as 

 species of Phlcum, Averc to be referred to Alopeciirus also: even 

 the Phleum Gerardi perhaps, notwithstanding its having a small 

 inner valve to the corolla, ought, as the accurate Gerard sus- 

 pected, to be arranged under Alopeciirus. Having made this 

 discovery, the recollection of Cornucopke alopecuroides came 

 into my mind. It had always been an obscure plant, known 

 only by the Linnaean specimen, nor ever found by any bota- 

 nist except Arduino. Sir Joseph Banks had more than once 

 looked at the specimen with me. His penetrating judgment 

 suspected something anomalous in it, and I was the more ready 

 to acquiesce in his suspicions, from the plant having been found 

 only once : but neither of us could recollect to what it really 

 belonged; for on comparing it carefully with Alopeciirus pratensis, 



to 



