38 TUIANDRIA — DIGYNIA. [IJolcus. 



awn twisted inserted below the middle longer than the cal., 

 leaves setaceous. E. Bot. t. 1296. 



Sandy hills and pastures. Fl. May, June. 0. — 1 — 3 inches high. 

 Panicle few-flowcrcd, pale silvery-green. Valves of the cal. lanceolate, 

 scabrous, when seen under a good glass ; those of the cor. narrow, acu- 

 minate, scabrous, the point bifid. 



27. JNIelica. Linn. Melic-grass. 



1. M. nutans, L. (^Mountain 3Ielic-gr ass); panicle nearly sim- 

 ple racemed secund, spikelets drooping ovate 2-flowered. E. Bot. 

 t. 1059. 



Woods in somewhat mountainous countries ; especially in the north 

 of England and Scotland. Fl. May, June. 1^. — One foot or more high, 

 leafy. Leaves linear-lanceolate. Cal.-glumes ovate, convex, nerved, deep 

 purple-brown, margin pale. Valves of the cor. cartilaginous, unequal, 

 nerved, outer one large. Between the two perfect florets is the rudiment 

 of a third, which is pedicellate, consisting of a 2-valved hardened cor. 

 without either pistil or stamen. 



2. M.u7iifi6ra, L.( Wood Melic-grass) ; panicle branched slightly 

 drooping, spikelets ei-ect ovate with only one perfect floi"et. E. 

 Bot. t. 1058. 



Shady woods, frequent, Fl. May— July, i;.— Imperfect floret on 

 rather a long footstalk. Leaves broader than the last, and whole plant 

 larger. Scale of one piece, orange-coloured, thick, ' ' covered by the outer 

 glume of the corolla." {Wilson.) 



3. ]M. ccerulea, L. (^purple Melic-grass); panicle erect subco- 

 aretate, spikelets erect oblongo-cylindrical, floret much longer 

 than the calyx. E. Bot. t. 750. — Moliyiia, Schrank. — /3. panicle 

 pale green, spikelets fewer-flowered. M. aljjiiia, Don. — M. de- 

 pav2^e7-aia, Liiidl. 



Wet heathy places and moors, frequent. — /3. Clova^ Mountains. FL 

 Aug. "2/. — Habit very different from the last, but scarcely distinguish- 

 able in generic character. Culms 1 — 2 feet high or more. All the 

 leaves, which are long, linear, and acuminated, springing from the base 

 or from a single joint immediately above it. Panicle from 2 — 8 inches 

 in length, bluish-purple, rarely and perhaps only when growing in much 

 sheltered situations, green. Cal.-valves lanceolate, nearly equal. Flo- 

 rets generally 2 perfect and 1 sterile. Anthers large, purple. — Brooms 

 are made of the culms in England, according to Withering ; and in 

 Skye, Lightfoot says, the fishermen twist them into excellent ropes for 

 their nets. 



28. HoLcus. Linn. Soft-grass. 



1. H. mollis, L. (creeping Soft-grass); cal.-valves acuminate, 

 imperfect floret with an exserted geniculated awn, joints of the 

 culm with a tuft of hairs, root creeping. E. Bot. t. 1170. 



Pastures and hedges, common. Fl. July. 1^. — Mr Wilson well ob- 

 serves that this species is distinguished by the acute (or almost acumi- 

 nate) calyx-glumes and downy joints of the culm. 



2. H. landtus, L. (^3Ieado2o Soft-grass); cal.-valves rather ob- 

 tuse mucronate, imperfect floret with a curved awn included 



