STIPA PENNATA. 43 



STIPA PENNATA. 



LINN^US. HOOKER AND ARNOTT. SMITH. PARNELL. HUDSON. 



WITHERING. HULL. WILLDENOW. KNAPP. SINCLAIR. SCHRADER. 



KOCH. LTNDLEY. BABINGTON. 



PLATE XIII. 



Spartum austriacum, GERARDE. 



Gramen sparteum pennalum, BAUHIN. DILLENIUS. 



The Common Feather- Grass. 

 Stipa Tow or flax (from the Greek). Pennata. Penna A feather. 



STIPA. Linnceus. Panicle upright and ^contracted. Glumes membrana- 

 ceous, two in number, longer than the floret. Floret stipulate. Glumellas 

 cartilaginous; exterior glumella involute, ending in a twisted awn of great 

 length, which is jointed at the base. There is only a solitary representative 

 of this genus in Great Britain, and that one very rare. The name is derived 

 from the Greek, signifying a flaxen appearance, in reference to the present 

 species Stipa pennata. 



AN exceedingly rare Grass, of but little agricultural value. It was 

 first discovered on rocks in Long Sleadale, Westmoreland, by 

 Dr. Richardson and Mr. Lawson, in the time of Dillenius, and from 

 that time there seems to be no re-discovery of it. Lately, however, 

 Mr. Joseph Sidebotham has forwarded me specimens gathered in corn- 

 fields near Hebden-Bridge, Yorkshire, where he informs me it is found 

 growing wild, although rare. 



From the extreme beauty of this species it is extensively cultivated 

 in our gardens, and its flowers gathered to ornament our drawing-rooms 

 during winter. 



Stipa pennata grows in dry sandy situations. It is found in many 

 parts of Germany. 



