GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 25 



have been introduced into the United States ; its limit of altitude 

 being about 3500 feet above the sea. 



Flowers about the middle of April, and the seeds are ripe in the 

 second or third week of June. 



13. AaiMOPHILA ARUNDINACEA.* 



Sea Reed, 



Specific Character. — Leaves involute, shai*p-pointed. (Plate VIII.) 

 Description. — It grows from eighteen inches to two feet high. 

 The root is perennial, extensively creeping. Stem erect, smooth, 

 shining, round, and hard, bearing three or four leaves with slightly 

 roughish sheaths ; the upper sheath about equal in length to its leaf, 

 crowned with a long, lanceolate, membranous ligule. Joints smooth. 

 Leaves narrow, smooth, involute, sharp-pointed, rigid, and glaucous. 

 Inflorescence panicled. Panicle erect, dense, from thi-ee to five inches 

 long, narrowly oval, its branches short and rough. Spikelets nume- 

 rous, long, and narrow, of one floret, shorter than the calyx. Calyx 

 of two, unequal, narrow, acute glumes (Fig. 1), without lateral ribs, 

 roughish on the upper part of the keels. Floret of two paleae, (Fig. 1 ), 

 the outer palea five-ribbed, the dorsal rib minutely toothed, termi- 

 nating in a short scabrous point projecting beyond the palea ; the base 

 furnished with several long, straight hairs pointing upwards. Inner 

 palea about equal in length to the outer palea, membranous, linear, 

 the margins minutely fringed. 



This grass seems not to be eaten by any kind of cattle, owing pro- 

 bably to the coarseness and rigidity of the foliage. It, however, is 

 of great value along the coast, as it retains the drifted sand, thereby 

 forming an embankment which prevents the encroachments of the 

 sea ; consequently, an act of Parliament has been passed for its pre- 

 servation. It grows only on the very driest sandy shores. Mats and 

 ropes are sometimes made of this grass. 



It is common in Orkney, and along most of the coast of Scotland. 

 In England it is found on the coasts of Northumberland, Durham, 



* Ammophila arenaria, Lindley, Koch. Anindo aremria, Smith, Hooker, Greville. 

 Afnniophila arundinacea, HookeT, Brit, Flota. / 



