Fightsiane. N. O. Graminez. 
TAB. CL. 
a 
AIRA ANTARCTICA. 
Czespitosa nana, culmis procumbentibus, foliis subulatis longe 
vaginantibus paniculas subsessiles eequantibus, spiculis bifloris, 
glumis lineari-lanceolatis subsequalibus carinatis apice scabris, 
paleis inferioribus profunde bifidis bicuspidatis subcarinatis 
infra medium longe aristatis basi pilosis, interioribus plani- 
usculis biplicaiis apice bifidis squamulis 2 integris, stigmati- 
bus parce plumosis. 
Haz. New South Shetland. Dr. Lights. 
New South Shetland has been described by voyagers as a 
- region which, though yielding a few Lichens upon the hard rocks, 
yet is utterly destitute of pheenogamic or flowering plants. 
Dr. Eights however collected in that desolate country specimens 
of the grass which is here figured; and probably other kinds may 
yet reward the researches of the Botanist who shall have the 
courage to visit those remote islands. Aira antarctica agrees in 
several particulars with our well-known A. caryophyllea ; but the 
habit of the two is totally different no less than the colour, in 
ours throughout of a yellow green, particularly the pale, not 
exhibiting the greyish tint and dry and scariose appearance of 
the former. The glumes too in our plant are much longer, 
(twice or thrice as long,) narrowed at the base, and the awns 
are by no means so much exserted. 
Fig. 1. Spikelet. jf. 2. The florets removed from the pales. 
J. 3. Stamens, pistil and squamule. jf. 4 Paleze :—magnified. — 
