TRIANDRIA DIGYNIA. 23 



2. G. maritima, panicle branched, rather close, erect after flow- 

 ering ; florets about 5, somewhat pointed, slightly 5-ribbed ; root 

 creeping. Sea Sweet-grass. 



Hob. (1.) Sides of the Tweed above the Bridge ; shores 

 of Holy Island, abundant. (2.) St Abb's Head, and on 

 the sea-shore from that to Redheugh. July. 7/ 



It appears to me that there are two very distinct varieties 

 of this plant. When it grows in wet situations, (1.) The 

 root is fibrous, and the foliage is large, soft, straight, and 

 only slightly glaucous. This is well described in HAY'S 

 Syn. 409-10, No. 6. ; and is the state of it which may 

 have induced LIGHTFOOT to believe it a variety of the 

 G*jluitans, for, like that species, the stems, in autumn, of- 

 ten extend to upwards of a foot in length, and float upon 

 the water. When, on the contrary, it grows on dry stony 

 situations, (2.) The root becomes creeping, the leaves are 

 rigid, generally curved, and very glaucous. HOOKER'S 

 description is very characteristic of this state, Fl. Scot, 

 i. 23, which is clearly the " gramen caninum maritimum 

 paniculatum" of RAY, Syn. 410. No. 7. The species has 

 cost me some trouble, and had it not been for the guid- 

 ance of Mr WINCH, I would have considered the first as 

 G. procumbens, and the second as the true maritime 



3. G. procumbens, panicle lanceolate, unilateral, 2-ranked, close, 

 with rough stalks, the main one cylindrical; florets about 5, 

 bluntish, 5-ribbed ; (root fibrous, plant glaucous and rigid.) 

 Procumbent Sweet-grass. 



Hob* " Some of the larger islets (Farn Islands) are co- 

 vered with vegetable mould, producing a plentiful crop 

 of Poa (Glyceria) maritima and procumbens" P. J. SELBY, 

 Esq. Zool. Journ. ii. 454. July, Aug. Q 



4. G. rigida, panicle lanceolate, unilateral, two-ranked, close, 

 with smooth stalks, the main one bordered ; florets about seven, 

 acute, scarcely ribbed. Hard Sweet-grass. 



Hob. " Heugh, Holy Island, plentiful," Thomp. June. 



Stems several, 3-5 inches high, peculiarly rigid and wiry, as 

 is also the not inelegant panicle. 



