TRIODIA.] GR AMINES. 487 



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

 Africa. 



29. PHRAGMI'TES, Trin. 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, 1-3-androus ; the 

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

 3-nerved, entire. Palra, 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. commu'nis, Trin. ; panicle very large soft dull purple nodding, 

 silky hairs equalling the fl. glumes. Arun'do Phragmi'tcs, 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 |-f in., 3-5- 

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

 % the length of the very narrow subulate flowering*. DISTRIB. Europe 

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



30. SESLE RIA, 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, N. Africa, 

 W. Asia ; species 12. ETYM. L. Sesler, an Italian botanist. 



S. cseru'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 -1 in., blue-grey, glistening. Spikelets fa 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. Prom Belgium to 

 Greece and S. Russia, 



