50 TRTANDRIA — DIGYNIA. \_Elymus. 



7 . A. Jlavdscens, L. (yellow Oat-grass); panicle much brandied 

 lax, spikelets of abont 3 florets equal in lenj^th to the long-er of 

 the very unequal cal. -valves, outer vj\lve of the cor. with two 

 terminal bristles. E. Hot. t. 95:2. 



Dry meadows, and pastures, frequent. Fl. July. 11 . — It has the small- 

 est flowers of all our Oat-r/rasses, and may readily be distin<ruislied by 

 that circumstance, by the two terminal bristles on the outer valve of the 

 cor. and by the unequal cal.-valves. Floral pedicels downy with a small 

 tuft of hairs at the top, and there is a terminal abortive flower, reduced 

 to a pedicellated bristle, hairy at its base. 



42. Arundo. Linn. Reed. 

 1. A. Phragmites, L. (common Reed); panicle spreading, cal.- 

 valves acuminate coloured ribbed and about 5-flowered, leaves 

 lanceolate acuminato-cuspidate. E. 13ot. t. 401. 



Abundant in ditches, margins of lakes, rivers, &c. Fl. July. 7^ . — 

 6 f or more hii»-h ; the tallest of our Grasses. Panicle large, purple- 

 brown, at length drooping, very handsome. Values of the cal. very un- 

 equal : ezt. ovato-lanceolate, many-ribbed ; i7it. twice as long, thin, 

 membranous, obsoletely ribbed. As the flowers advance, the tufts of 

 liair increase, at length becoming ver}' silky. — This plant frequently 

 forms patches of immense extent, called lleed-roiids in some parts of the 

 east of England, which harbour many aquatic birds and the rare Parus 

 biarmicus or bearded Tit-mouse. An extensive use is made of the culms 

 for thatching, garden-screens, for walls and floors which ate afterwards 

 covered with clay, &c. 



43. Elymus. Lmn. Lyme-grass. 



1. lEi.arendrius, L. {upright Sea J^yme-grass); spike close erect, 

 spikelets in pairs hairy, florets awnless as loui^ as the lanceolate 

 valves of the cal., leaves involute pungent. E. Bot. t. 1672. 



Sandy sea-shores, frequent. FL (rarely) July. 14-. — Root much creep- 

 ing in the loose soil ; hence it becomes of great value, like ihe Amrno- 

 phila arenaria, for preserving a considerable extent of our own coasts 

 and those of Holland from the encroachments of the sea. Cidms 3 — 4 

 f. high, gU.brous. Leaves glaucous, pungent. Spike 4 — 6 inches long. 

 Spikelets of about -3 flowers on the rachis. Cal.-valves 2, lanceolate, acu- 

 minate. Valves of the cor. resembling them, but the ext. one broader ; 

 int. bifid at the point, angles of the folds ciliated. The seeds are said 

 to be made into bread in Iceland. 



2. E. geniculdtus. Curt, (pendulotis Sea Lyme-grass); spike 

 lax bent downwards with one angle, spikelets in remote pairs, 

 cal.-valves subulate glabrous longer than the florets, leaves in- 

 volute pungent. E. Bot. t. 1586. 



Near Gravesend, in a salt-marsh : very rare. Fl. July. If- • — A very 

 remarkable plant, apparently quite distinct from the preceding ; yet I can- 

 not but wish some one would study it in its locality, Gravesend, which is 

 the only station recorded for it. I possess something very like it in a 

 diseased state of E. arenarius, gathered in Scotland by 3Ir M'Nab. 



3. E. Furopdus, L. (wood Lyme grass); spike erect compact 

 glabrous, spikelets ternate 1-2-flowered, cal.-valves setaceous, 

 florets terminated by a long awn, leaves flat. E. Bot. t. 1317. 



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