•S4 PHLEUM. [class hi. order n. 



This rare species of Scotcli grass is readily distinguished by its short 

 ovate spike, abrupt glumes, and long awn. It is remarted by Smith 

 that the roots are tuberous, a character -^vhich we have not observed, 

 but in all the specimens we have seen they are creeping, with numerous 

 joints and whorls of long fibres sent out from each of them. In Salt's 

 collection there are specimens communicated by " Mr. Sowerby, from 

 Torfar," which have the leaves shorter and much broader, the sheaths 

 more inflated and striated, and the whole plant much stouter, than is 

 its usual appearance. Probably this difference may be from a luxu- 

 riant gi'owth of the plants. 



3, P. as'perum, Jacq. (Fig. 104.) rough Cat's-tail-grass. Stem erect, 

 often branched ; panicle spihed, cyhndrical, dense ; glumes wedge- 

 shaped, rough; awn short, blunt. 



English Flora, vol. i. p. 77. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 301. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, voh i. p. 3.5. — Phle'um panicula'tinn, English Botany, 

 t. 1077. 



Root strong, fibrous. Stern from eight to twenty inches high, smooth 

 and shining, tufted and branched, very leafy. Leaves somewhat rough, 

 linear, sharply pointed. Sheaths smooth, striated, slightly swelled. 

 Ligula oblong, obtuse, mostly torn. Inflorescence densely spicate, 

 sUghtly tapering at each end, from two to three inches long, often en- 

 veloped at the base with the sheath of the upper leaf. Glumes wedge- 

 shaped, swelling upiwards, rough, with short pointed tubercles, termi- 

 nated with a short rigid awn. Glumelles unequal, ribbed, and some- 

 what downy. Anthers short. Stigmas capillary. Seed small, brown, 

 cylindriccd. 



Habitat. — Rare. In diy elevated fields in Bedfordshire, Gloucester- 

 shire, and Cambridgeshire. 



Annual; flowering in July. 



This plant, unknown to Linuceus, is the Phala'ris as'per of Ketzius, 

 Wiildenow, and the French Botanists. E. Bot. 



4. P. Boehme'ri, Schrad. (Fig. 105) purple stalked CaVs- tail-grass. 

 Stem simple; panicle spiked, cylindrical ; glumes lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, rough, ciliated at the keel. 



English Flora, vol. i. p. 78. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 301. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 35. — Sinclair, Hort. Gram. Woburn. p. 317. — 

 Phala'ris phle'oides, Linn. English Botany, t. 459. 



Root fibrous. Stem simple, erect, sometimes bent below, from silc 

 to eighteen inches high, smooth, except near the top, frequently pur- 

 plish. Leaves short, rough, lanceolate, of a light-green or glaucous 

 colour. Sheaths long, striated, harsh, scarcely inflated. Ligula ob- 

 tuse. Inflorescence a close spiked panicle, from one to two inches long, 

 purplish. Glumes lanceolate, strongly keeled, abruptly tenninating in 

 a point, scarcely awned, the keel eiliated wi^h v^hite hairs. Glumelki 



