334 Dr. Smith's Account of several Plants, 



1. Air A Icevigata*, 



foliis planis ; vaginis laevissimis, panicul^ coarctatS, petalis aris- 

 tatis basi villosis, raclii glabra brevissimd. 



Found on the high mountains of Clova in Angusshirc, as well 

 as at the sea-side near Dundee. In the former situation it 

 is viviparous ; in the latter not so. This grass appears to have 

 been overlooked as a viviparous alpine variety oi Aira ccespitosa. 

 At least, so Linntcus, who received it from Lapland by means of 

 some one of his travelling pupils, considered it ; and probably 

 it is the supposed variety, mentioned on the authority of the Rev. 

 Plugh Davies, in the Flora Britannica. Mr. Don, however, justly 

 remarks, that it ditters from the caspitosa in never being above 

 a foot, or foot and half, high, even Avhen cultivated in a rich 

 moist soil ; as well as in the great smoothness of the herbage 

 when drawn through the hand. For, though the edges of the 

 leaves are rough, their sheaths and backs are remarkably 

 smooth. My acute correspondent thought he had ascertained a 

 further ditference, in the absence of the woolliness at the base of 

 the flowers. This, however, I find not exactly the case; but the 

 remark has led to the detection of a curious specific character in 

 those parts. This consists in the extreme shortness, and perfect 

 smoothness or nakedness, of the little partial stalk which elevates 

 one floret, while the very base of each floret is bearded. In 

 A. ccespitosa thep artial stalk itself is hairy all over, and of a much 

 greater length than in our Icevigata. Mr. Don informs me that the 

 latter flowers a month earlier than ccespitosa. The root is fibrous 

 and perennial. 



The examination of this grass in its viviparous state, teaches 

 us one mode in which that phaenomenon takes place, and which 



* Engl, Bot. t, 2102. 



is 



