482 GRAMINEJE. [Aira. 



subterminal, feathery to the base. Fruit grooved, free or adnate to the 

 fl. glume and palea. — Distrib. Temp, regions ; species 4-5. — Etym. A 

 Greek name for some grass. 



1 . A. caryophyl'lea, L. ; sheaths scabrid, panicle spreading, branches 

 long trichotomous. 



Sandy meadows, &c. N. to Shetland; ascends to 1,400 ft. in the High- 

 lands; Ireland; Channel Islands; fl. June-July. — Stems 2-10 in., tufted, 

 leafless and scabrid above, bent below, often purplish. Leaves setaceous, 

 short, scabrid, obtuse ; ligule long. Panicle 1-2 in. Spikelets ^ in., ovate, 

 shining ; lower empty glume ovate, acuminate, exceeding the flowering, 

 keel scabrid ; awn twice as long as its glume, twisted.— Distrib. Europe, 

 N. Africa ; introd. in N. America. 



2. A. prse'cox, L. ; sheaths glabrous, panicle contracted, branches very 

 short with 1-2 spikelets. 



Dry pastures, &c.,N. to Shetland ; ascends to 1,800 ft. in Yorkshire ; Ireland ; 

 Channel Islands ; fl. April-^June. —Habit of A . caryophyl'lea, but panicle very 

 different ; whole plant greener ; spikelets narrower ; 2-fid points of 

 flowering glume shorter; awn inserted higher up. — Distrib. Europe; 

 introd. in N. America. 



21. CORYNEPH'ORUS, Beam. 



Annual grasses. Spikelets small, panicled, 2-fld. ; rachilla produced, 

 penicillate. Empty glumes 2, subscarious, subequal, acute. Fl. glumes 

 shorter, hyaline ; awn dorsal, bent, twisted below the bearded joint, tip 

 clavate. Palea narrow, 2-nerved. Scales 2-fid. Stamens 3. Styles short 

 distinct, stigmas feathery. Fruit grooved, adhering to the fl. glume. and 

 palea. — Djstrib. Europe, W. Asia ; species 2. — Etym. Kopvvti and d>epo>, 

 from the clubbed awn. 



C, canes'cens, Beauv. ; tufted, leaves short rigid. Aira canescens, L. 

 Sandy coasts, Norfolk, Suffolk; Channel Islands; fl. July. — Tufts hard, rigid, 

 pungent. Stems 4-8 in., bent below, glabrous above. Leaves 1-2 in., 

 glaucous, involute; upper sheaths long, scaberulous; ligule lanceolate. 

 Panicle 1-3 in., narrow-oblong, spreading in flower ; branches thickened at 

 the forks, short. Spikelets § in., narrow, pale silvery or purplish ; empty 

 glumes narrow, acuminate, tips hyaline ; fl. glumes snorter, villous at the 

 base; keel channelled; awn included or shortly exserted, purple below, 

 bearded at the middle where bent, above gradually thickened, white'; 

 anthers purplish. — Distrib. Europe, Siberia. 



22. DESCHAMP'SIA, Beauv. 



^ Perennial grasses. Spikelets panicled, 2-fld. ; rachilla produced, some- 

 times bearing a male flower. Empty glumes subequal, keeled, shining, 

 truncate, toothed, 3-5-nerved ; awn dorsal, straight or twisted. Palea 

 narrow, 2-nerved. Scales entire, lanceolate. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, 



