426 GRAMINE^. [NARDUS. 



persistent. Fruit adherent to the palca. DISTKIB. Europe (Arctic), 

 Azores, Greenland ; the only species. ETYM. Obscure. 



1. N. stric'ta, L.; glabrous, perennial, leaves setaceous. 

 Heaths and dry pastures ; ascending to 3,300 ft. in the Highlands ; fl. June- 

 July. -Rootstock stout, creeping, densely tufted. Stems 2-8 in., erect, fili- 

 form, rigid, striate, angled; base with long pale sheaths. Leaves channelled, 

 scaberulous, upper erect, lower divaricate, almost horizontal ; sheaths 

 smooth ; ligule short. Spike 1-3 in., solitary ; rachis very slender, strict. 

 Spikelets rather distant ; fl. glume in., slender, reddish or purplish, 

 divaricate after flowering, scabrid above, narrowed into the short awn. 

 Rejected by sheep, on account of the harsh divaricate foliage. 



A. SPARTI'NA, Schreber. 



Spikelets long, laterally compressed, snbsessile in 2 ranks on one-sided 

 panicled erect 3-gonous spikes, 1-fld., with sometimes a rudiment of a 2d 

 at the base of the palea. Empty glumes 2, narrow, subequal, pointed or 

 awned ; upper 5-nerved, exceeding the flowering ; lower smaller. Ft. 

 glume sessile, coriaceous, edges membranous, awnless, 1 -nerved, not ex- 

 ceeding the 2-nerved palea. Scales 0. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous ; styles 

 long, connate below, stigmas long hairy. Fruit laterally compressed, 

 enveloped in the palea and fl. glume. DISTRIB. Chiefly warm climates ; 

 species 8. ETYM. tnraprivri, a cord, from the use of the leaves. 



1. S. stric'ta, Roth.; point of rachis of spike subulate. 



Muddy salt creeks and marshes, Lincoln, and from Devon to Kent ; rare ; 

 fl. July- Aug. Rootstock long, branched, extensively creeping. Stems 1-3 ft., 

 erect, strict, stout, polished, leafy throughout. Leaves J-J in. broad, strict, 

 erect, coriaceous, convolute, smooth, pungent, glaucous above ; ligule short, 

 silky. Panicle 3-8 in., strict; spikes 3-8, 1-3 in. ; rachis angled, smooth, 



; ; pedicel very short. 

 " lines acute, lowest 

 . a little silky ; keel 

 somewhat scabrid. DISTRIB. W. Europe from Belgium and Spain to Aus- 

 tria and Italy, N. America. 



Sub-sp. STRIC'TA proper ; stemli-2ft., lower leaves deciduous from the sheath, 

 spikes 2-4, tip of rachis equalling the upper spikelet. 



Sub-sp. ALTEHNIFLO'RA, Loisel. (sp.); stem 2-4 ft., leaves persistent, spikes 

 3-8, tip of rachis exceeding the upper spikelet. Southampton. 



5. CHAMAGROS TIS, Borkh. 



A minute annual. Spikelets laterally or distichously arranged in a 

 simple slender flexuous rachis, dorsally compressed, very shortly pcdi- 

 celled, 1-fld. Empty glumes 2, a little exceeding the flowering, broad, 

 subequal, concave, not keeled, truncate, awnless, membranous, 1 -nerved, 

 upper next the rachis. Fl, glume hyaline, very hairy, truncate, 5-nerved. 

 Palea 2-nerved or 0. Scales 2, very minute. Stamens 3 ; anthers short. 

 Ovary glabrous ; styles 2, very long, stigmas slender hairy. Fruit 

 obovoid, compressed, embraced by the fl. glume and palea. DISTKIIJ. 

 W. Europe from Hanover to Spain and Italy, N. Africa. ETYM. 

 and dypAo-Tis, from its lowly habit. 



