CLASS III. OUBKIi II.] AIRA. 99 



base with a tuft of fine hairs, mostly sessile, the partial stalk of the 

 upper one when present is rery short and quite smooth. Glumelles 

 lanceolate acute, greenish, mostly enlarged into a bud. Awn arising 

 from about the middle of the outer valve, and extending a little beyond 

 it. 



Habitat. — Rare, on high mountains in Scotland and Wales. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



4. A.Jlexuo'sa, Linn. (Fig. 124.) waved Hair-grass. Panicle loose, 

 spreading when in flower; florets as long as the glumes, hairy at 

 the base; awn arising from near the base of the outer valve, and 

 much longer, rough twisted and jointed ; leaves bristle shaped. 



English Botany, t. 1519. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 105. — Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 398. — Hooker, ^British Flora, vol. i. p. 40. — Sinclair, 

 Hort. Gram. Woburn, p. 279. 



Root long and fibrous, sometimes woolly. Stem from one to two 

 feet high, erect, slender, smooth, leafy below. Sheaths close, striated? 

 roughish, upper ones very long, the lower short. Ligula oblong acute, 

 fi-equently torn. Leaves very narrow, bristle shaped, roughish, the 

 lower long and numerous, the upper very short. Inflorescence a loose 

 branched panicle, erect, but spreading when in flower, its branches long, 

 slender, hair like, waved, roughish, especially its ultimate divisions. 

 Spihelets few. 67h mips unequal, broadly lanceolate, thin, membranousi 

 smooth except on the keel, shining, of a yellowish copper colour, the 

 outer one frequently ribbed. Florets about the length of the glumes* 

 surrounded at the base with a tuft of shining white hairs, the upper 

 one on a short hairy stalk. Glumelles lanceolate, unequal, smooth, 

 greenish copper-colour, with membranous edges ; the outer valve with 

 three slight ribs, and a twisted jointed awn arising from near its base, 

 and extending often considerably beyond the extremity ; inner valve 

 bifid at the extremity, with two lateral roughish ril)s, from which the 

 edges are inflexed, and enwrap the lanceolate ghnnellules supporting 

 its small brown seed. Anthers yellow or purplish. Stigmas feathery. 



Habitat. — Waste sandy heaths, moors, and hilly situations, abundant. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August, 



For the purpose of cultivation, this grass possesses but little to recom- 

 mend it. On its natural sandy or heathy soil it is most pro- 

 ductive, and will be found to form a part of those grasses which are 

 most advantageously sown for the improvement of such lands. 

 Like many other mountainous plants, it is liable to great variation, 

 depending upon the elevation, the aridncss, or humidity of the situation 

 in which it has grown. 



5. A. cari/ophi/ll'ea, Linn. (Fig. 125.) silvery Hair-grass. Panicle 

 spreading ; florets shorter than the glumes, scarcely hairy at the 

 base; awn arising from below the middle of the outer valve^ 

 Jointedj and about as long again j leaves bristle-shaped, 



