Triodia.] GR AMINE JE. 487 



bearded at the base, ciliate on the lower margins.— Distrib. Europe, N. 

 Africa. 



29. PHRAGMI TES, Trill. EEED. 



Perennial stout water-reeds. Spikelets subterete, panicled, 3-6-fld. ; 

 lower fl. male, the rest 2-sexual. Empty glumes 2, short, unequal, mem- 

 branous, keeled. Fl. glumes distant ; lowest naked, 1-8-androus ; the 

 rest 3-androus, enveloped in long silky basal hairs, very long acuminate, 

 3-nerved, entire. Palea very short. Scales large, obtuse. Stamens 3. 

 Ovary glabrous ; styles short, stigmas feathery. Fruit terete, loosely 

 wrapped in the fl. glume. — Distrib. Arctic and temp, zones ; species 1 

 or 2. — Etym. obscure. 



P. communis, Trin. ; panicle very large soft dull purple nodding, 

 silky hairs equalling the fl. glumes. Arun'do Phragmi'tes, L. 



Edges of lakes, &c, N. to Shetland; Ireland; Channel Islands; fl. July- 

 Aug. — Rootstock extensively creeping, jointed. Stems 6-10 ft., stout, terete, 

 erect, smooth. Leaves §-1 in. broad, flat, rigid, acuminate, glaucous beneath, 

 edges hispid ; sheath smooth, mouth bearded. Panicle 10-18 in., ovoid, 

 dense ; branches smooth, with long scattered hairs. Spikelets §— § in., 3-5- 

 fld. (or fewer, P. nigricans, Dumort.), shining; empty glumes lanceolate, 

 ^ the length of the very narrow subulate flowering. — Distrib. Europe 

 (Arctic), Asia, Africa, America, Australia. 



30. SESLERIA, Scop. 



Spikelets compressed, in a contracted dense ovoid or subcapitate 

 bracteate panicle, 2-6-fld. ; bracts small or large, entire toothed or multifid, 

 sheathing the lower peduncles ; rachilla jointed above the lower glumes. 

 Empty glumes 2, longer than the flowering, subequal, 1- rarely 3-nerved. 

 Fl. glumes 2-3, the upper rudimentary, keeled, 3-cuspidate. Palea 

 2-keeled. Scales 2, 3-5-toothed. Stamens 3. Ovary hairy at the top ; 

 styles terminal, connate below, stigmas very long barbellate. Fruit 

 oblong enclosed in the fl. glume and palea. — Distrib. Europe, 1ST. Africa, 

 "W. Asia ; species 12. — Etym. L. Sesler, an Italian botanist. 



S. csera'lea, Scop. ; panicle oblong subsecund silvery-grey. 



Hilly pastures, especially in limestone districts, from Ross to York and 

 Lancaster ; ascends to 2,500 ft. in the Highlands ; W. Ireland, local ; fl. 

 April-June. — Perennial. Root fibrous. Stems 6-18 in., erect, smooth. 

 Leaves narrow, flat, glaucous above, tip scabrid mucronate, glabrous or hairy, 

 upper very short ; sheaths compressed, breaking up into fibres ; ligules 

 short, ciliate. Panicle f-1 in., blue-grey, glistening. Spikelets ^ in., in 

 subsessile fascicles, the lower embraced at the base by a small convolute 

 bract or glume ; empty glumes ciliate, acuminate ; fl. glumes pubescent, 

 3 central nerves confluent ; awn very short. — Distrib. From Belgium to 

 Greece and S. Russia. 



