CLAIS UI. ORflEElI. ] SESLEEIA. 107 



Lindley, Synopsis, p. 309. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 43. — 

 Paa'icum vi'ride, Liuu. Engli.-ih Botany, t. 875. — English Flora, vol. i. 

 p. 98. 



This plant is generally smaller than the ahove species, which it 

 greatly resembles. It would appear, the only character of distinction 

 upon which reliance can be placed is the bristles of the involure having 

 the small teeth with which they are closely set with the points directed 

 upwards, while in the former they are directed downwards; the spike is 

 also more compact, less distinctly lobed, more bristly ; the florets are 

 the same in both species, except that in the latter the inner valve of the 

 neuter floret is more frequently wanting, and sometimes the whole floret 

 is suppressed. 



Habitat. — Rare; in sandy fields about Loudon and Norwich; 

 " scarcely indigenous." — Hooker. 



Annual ; flowering in July and August. 



GENUS XXXII. SESLE'RIA. Arduin. Moor grass. 



Gen. Char. Panicle spiked. Glumes two, nearly equal, pointed or 

 awned at the apex. Glumelles nearly equal; the outer jagged, 

 awned at the apex; the inner bifid. — Named from Leonard iSesler, 

 au Italian Physician aud Botanist. 



1. S. cceru'lea, Scop. (Fig. 134.) Spike ovate, with alternate mem- 

 branous bractea at the base. 



English Botany, t. 1613.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 114.— Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 309.— Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 42.— Sinclair, Hort. 

 Gram. 'Woburn. p. 303. 



Plant forming close tliick tufts, the roots numerous, long, tough, and 

 wiry. Stem from four to twelve or eighteen inches high, smooth, and 

 striated, thickly clothed at the base with the remains of withered leaves, 

 naked above. Leaves numerous, linear obtuse, smooth, except the 

 edges and keel, which are frequently roughish, striated, single ribbed, 

 a glaucous green, the upper ones very short. Sheaths short, close. 

 Li(/ula absent. Inflorescence close, a sliort ovate, shining bluish-green, 

 spiked panicle, the lower spikelets having thin membranous, jagged, 

 toothed or ciliated bractea at their base. Glumes nearly equal, thin, 

 shiningbluish,somewhathairy, ovate-lanceolate, keeled, pointedcr awned, 

 frequently jagged, toothed, or ciliated towards the extremity, mostly 

 containing two ^ore<s longer than themselves. Glumelles nearly equal, 

 external one the largest, shining bluish towards the extremity, from three 

 to five toothed, ciliated, and slightly hairy ribbed, the keel terminating 

 in the middle tooth, mostly lengthened into a short roughi.sh awn ; 

 inner valve with two roughish ribs terminating in a bifid extremity, the 

 edges iaflexed and membranous. Anthers large, yellow tipped with 

 parplfc 



