—t 
or 
AIRA CANESCENS. 
Linnzus. Hooxer anp Arnott. J. E. Smirn. Parnett. ScHraver. 
Kyarrp. Wittpenow. Dickson. Wiruerinc. Enruartr. Orper. 
PLATE XXIII.—A. 
Corynephorus canescens, Bravois. Baxsrneton. 
<e RetcHensacu. Kocu. Kunrtn. 
Gramen junceum, DaLEcHAMpPs. 
The Grey Haitr-Grass. 
Aira—To destroy. Canescens—To become grey. 
One of the rarest of the British Grasses, and consequently 
a useless agricultural species. 
Found on the sandy coasts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Dorset, and 
Jersey. 
Native of the Islands of the Mediterranean, Greece, Turkey, 
Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, Belgium, 
France, England, Norway, and Sweden. 
Easily distinguished from all other British species, in having 
club-shaped awns, which are fringed in the centre. 
Stem upright, circular, and smooth, bearing four or five 
cetaceous, very short, rough, and glaucous leaves, with rough 
striated sheaths, the uppermost leaf shorter than its sheath. 
Ligule of upper leaf acute and bold. Joints three, the upper- 
most one naked. Inflorescence compound panicled, close and 
compact until in flower, then spreading; having a purple tinge. 
Branches rough, but rachis smooth. Spikelets consisting of two 
acute, membranous, equal-sized glumes, destitute of lateral ribs; 
keels minutely dentate, and two florets shorter than the glumes. 
