MOLINIA CARULEA. 
Meancu. Hooxrr anp Arnott. Parnett. Linptry. Kocw. Srturx 
Bravvors. Bapsrneton. ReErIcHENBACH. 
PLATE XXIV. 
Melica alpina, Don. 
Molinia depauperata, Linpiry. PaRneE.t. 
Melica caerulea, Linnzvs. Smitn. Hooxer. Host. 
GREVILLE. WILLDENOW. SCHRADER. 
Curtis. KwNapp. 
Aira cerulea, Linnzvus. Hvpson. Lerrs. OrDER. 
The Purple Molinia. 
Molinia—After Molina, a Naturalist. Cerulea—Blue. 
Morinta, Mench.—A genus named after Don Giovanni Ignatio Molina, 
who published a work upon the Natural History of Chili seventy-five years 
ago. There is only one British example, namely, Molinia cerulea. 
Tus reed-looking Grass, perhaps better known as the Purple 
Melic Grass, is abundant throughout Scotland, England, and 
Ireland, growing on damp heathy moors. It is of but little 
agricultural value. In the Orkney and Shetland Islands the 
stems are made by the fishermen into ropes, whilst in England 
they are manufactured into cheap brooms. 
It occurs in Lapland, Norway, and Sweden, and to the most 
southern portions of Europe. 
Stem upright, circular, smooth, being bulbous at the base, 
carrying three lengthy, narrow, linear, taper-pointed, acute, rough 
leaves, with smooth striated sheaths, the uppermost one shorter 
