118 EEYTHEA. 



Set. ex Herb. Ball, v. s. sp,) : Corsica {Lotset) : Italy {Roem. 

 and SchulL; DC, Cat Hort Monsp.), at Kome {Barrelier) : 

 Austria; Kalkboden in Banat {Koch.), Istria {Host.; Meri. 

 & Koch)^ Dalmatia and the islands of the Adriatic {Host): 

 Greece and the Grecian archipelago {Spritner & Heldreich, 

 ex Boiss,; Stbth,): Thracia, at Byzantium {Grisehach, ex 

 Boiss.): Anatolia, {Aucher Eloy <& Balansa, ex Boiss.; 

 Sihth,): Cyprus {Stbth.): Levant {Ait; Don; Sweet): Syria, 

 at Damascus {Gaillardot, ex Boiss.): Palestine {Boiss): 

 Southern Persia {Kotschy No. 86, and Haussknechtj ex 

 Boiss,): Afghanistan {Benth. & Hook.; Griffith e^ Boiss.): 

 Egypt, at Alexandria {Ehrenberg ex Boiss.): Abyssinia 

 {Boiss.): Barbary {Pers.; Ktmth; Schrad.; Dietr.); Algeria, 

 at Bona {Dr. Diikerley, v. s, sp.): Madeira {Boiss) and. the 

 Canary Islands, {Benth & Hook.; Boiss.; O. Ktze.), Tener- 

 iffe {Herb. Cat Acad Set, v. s. sp.; O.Ktze.): California, 

 Mill Creek, San Bernardino Co. {Lemmon v. s. sp.); Los 

 Angeles {Lemmon; Parry, v. s. sp,); San Luis Obispo 

 {Lemmon); Caliente, Kern Co., {Herb. Cat Acad. Set. v- 

 s. sp.); San Jacinto, San Diego Co., (Miles, v. s. sp,); Santa 

 Clara Valley, {Davy): Australia and Tasmania {Sir F. von 

 Mueller, Fragm. viii. 116 ex Benth.) 



General geographical range: the Mediterranean region, 

 extending east to Southern Persia and Afghanistan; Madeira 

 and the Canary Islands; elsewhere probably introduced acci- 

 dentally or by cultivation. 



Habitat: arid places, as among rocks and on steep craigs, 

 in sandy pastures, and by roadsides; frequently near the sea. 



Flowering period: April (California), May and June (S. 

 Europe), July (England). An annual. 



Uses: this elegant little grass is well worthy of garden 

 cultivation, and by English seeds-men is usually included in 

 catalogues of ornamental grasses. It was introduced into 

 cultivation in England in the year 1700, by M. Kichard, from 

 the Levant (according to Aiton). In England it has been 

 found to grow best when sown in pots in August or Septem- 

 ber, and sheltered from winter frosts in a cold frame or 



