Mr. Woods on the Genera of European Grasses. 31 



inasmuch as a name without any meaning must be less objectionable than 

 one with a false meaning. Hoppe in 1799, according to Gaudin, gave to it 

 the name of Sturmia, and Smith in English Botany, in 1 803, that of Knappia. 

 The proper name would, therefore, undoubtedly be Sturmia, if this had not 

 been already given by Gaertner to a species of Guettarda, of which, whether 

 it really deserve to constitute a genus or not I cannot tell. In this uncertainty 

 I leave it for the present under the name by which it is best known to English 

 botanists ; at the same time, I cannot but think that Sir J. E, Smith acted not 

 wisely in altering the specific name. Minima merely implies that it is a very 

 small Grass, and by no means necessarily that it is the smallest of the genus ; 

 and agrostidea is quite as objectionable, as it would be easy to conceive a 

 Grass much more like an Agrostis without losing the generic distinction of 

 Knappia. 



Stipace^. 



Spiculee in an equal panicle, one-flowered, without any rudiment either 

 above or below. Glumes herbaceous at the base, scariose at the margin, in- 

 cluding the floret. The principal character is in the outer palea, which is 

 convolute, and hardens on the seed without being attached to it. The extre- 

 mity thus rolled up forms the base of an awn, which is connected by a more 

 or less evident joining* at the base, and is in most instances geniculate and 

 twisted. This character alone seems in all cases to carry the habit along 

 with it, and to fix the plant among the Stipacece. Squamulae 3. 



1. Piptatherum. Floret sessile. Palese subcoriaceous. Awn straight, deci- 



duous. Panicle lax. 



2. Stipa. Floret stalked. Palese coriaceous, the inner entire. Awn with an 



evident joining into the palese, geniculate and twisted. (In S. aristella 

 the floret is sessile, and the awn straight and even). 



3. Achnatherum. Glumes scariose, herbaceous at the base. Floret stalked, 



enveloped in silky hairs. Palese membranous. Awn geniculate and 

 twisted, the joining obscurely marked. 



* I nse joint for the thing joined ; joining, for the point of union. The arm is a joint ; the elbow a 

 joining. This language appears to me more correct, and more convenient in botanical descriptions, than 

 the usual confusion between the two terms. 



