71 
AIRA CARYOPHYLLEA. 
Linnzus. Hooxrer anp Arnott. J. E. Suitn. Parnett. Basinaton. 
RrIcHENBACH. GREVILLE. LINDLEY. 
WILLpEenow. Kwnapr. Curtis. STinninGFLEET. Greaves. OrDER. 
PLATE XXI.—B. 
Avena caryophyllea, Kocn. 
The Silver Hair-Grass. 
Aira—To destroy. Caryophyllea—......... oP 
ANOTHER useless agricultural Grass, growing in dry gravelly 
situations, and tolerably abundant in England, Scotland, and 
Treland. 
It is a very handsome species. 
Found in Germany, France, and Italy. 
Stem upright, circular, smooth, and striated, bearing three or 
four short, narrow, rough leaves, with striated rough sheaths; 
upper leaf much longer than its sheath, and having a prominent 
acute ligule at the apex. Joints smooth. Inflorescence com- 
pound panicled, silvery grey. Panicle upright, triple-forked, 
spreading, tinged with purple. Rachis smooth. Spikelets small, 
with rounded bases and slightly swollen, consisting of two awned 
florets, not protruding beyond the apex of the glumes. Calyx 
of two equal-sized membranous glumes, destitute of lateral ribs. 
Florets of two equal-sized pale, exterior one of lowest floret 
bifid, base hairy, furnished with a slender awn rising from 
slightly beneath the centre, and extending half its length beyond 
the apex of the palea. Inner one thin and membranous. Root 
annual and fibrous. Length from six to twelve inches. 
