CLASS III. ORDER II.] TRITICUM. 157 



round, striated, roughish, especially in the upper part, slender, leafy, 

 from twelve to eighteen inches high. Leaves flat, linear, tapering at 

 the point, numerously striated, smooth on the under side, hairy on the 

 upper. Sheaths close, striated, smooth. Ligula very short, scarcely 

 observable. Inflorescence an erect, crowded, compressed spike, about 

 an inch long. Spikelets compressed, crowded, two-ranked. Glumes 

 nearly equal, awl-shaped, with a keel terminating in a rough awn about 

 as long again ; one side of the valve with a single rib ; the other side 

 narrower and the rib obsolete. Florets from three to six, compressed, 

 smooth or hairy. Glumelles nearly equal, lanceolate: the outer ob- 

 scurely four-ribbed, with a keel terminating in a roughish awn ; the 

 inner valve bifid at the apex, with two lateral roughish ribs. Glumel- 

 lules small, lanceolate. Stiymas loose, feathery. Fruit downy at the 

 apex. 



Habitat. "Sea-side between Arbroath and Montrose Mr. G. Don; 

 where, however, I should fear it cannot be considered wild. It is a 

 native of the south-eastern parts of Europe." Hook. 



Perennial ; flowering in July. 



** Spikelets turned to one side. 



5. T. lolia'ceum, Sm. (Fig. 200.) dwarf Sea Wheat-grass. Glumes 

 obtuse; florets numerous, awnless, indistinctly ribbed; stems 

 rigid, branched ; root fibrous. 



English Botany, t. 221. English Flora, vol. i. p. 185. Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 56. Catopo'dium lolia'ceum, Link. Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 297. 



Hoot of numerous long, branching, downy fibres. Stem erect, 

 remarkably stiff and wiry, branching from the base, and erect, or 

 bent ; from two to four inches high, smooth, shining, finely striated, 

 leafy. Leaves linear, striated, flat, smooth, or roughish on the back. 

 Sheaths close, smooth,, striated. Ligula short, obtuse, torn. Inflores- 

 cence an erect, one-sided spike ; the rachis flat, waved, and striated. 

 Spikelets ovate, flat, alternate, distant or crowded, sessile, or elevated 

 on a short stalk, smooth. Glumes unequal, ovate, obtuse, with a mem- 

 branous margin, keeled, and with two or four more or less distinct 

 ribs. Florets numerous, imbricated. Glumelles two, nearly equal : 

 the outer ovate, acute, smooth, keeled, two or four-ribbed, the margin 

 pale and membranous ; the inner lanceolate, with two lateral downy 

 ribs. Stigmas feathery. 



Habitat. On the sandy sea-shores of Norfolk, JSuffolk, and Essex. 

 North Wales and Isle of Man Mr. Wilson. East coast of Scotland, 

 not uncommon. Sandymount, Howth, &c., and on the northern and 

 southern coasts of Ireland. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



This plant has much the habit and appearance of Poa riyida. 



