106 Mr. F. Townsend on a supposed new species of Glyceria. 



upwards, wavy and twisted above, and frequently with a swollen 

 appearance. Leaves plicate, rather obtuse, more flaccid and 

 of a darker green than in the other two species; sheaths sili- 

 cate, rough ; ligule obtuse, apiculate, obscurely three-toothed or 

 entire. Panicle often drooping, not so elongate as in either of 

 the above; clusters arranged at shorter distances; branches 

 often spreading in all directions from the twisting of the rachis, 

 uppermost crowded, a single branch often bearing sixteen or 

 more spikelets, two branches of each of the lowermost clusters 

 bearing several spikelets ; spikelets shorter than in either of the 

 above, uppermost spikelets of the branches and rachis sessile or 

 upon short rigid pedicels ; pedicels always scabrous. Florets 

 smaller than in either of the above. Inner pale rather shorter than 

 the outer. Anthers purple, sometimes yellow. Careopsis round- 

 ish-elliptical, and at once distinguishable from that of G. fluitans, 

 which is linear-elliptical. 



It flowers from June to September, sometimes bearing a se- 

 cond crop late in the year, and is of frequent occurrence. It 

 grows in stagnant and running water. This is the G. plicata 

 (Fries), 'Herb. Normale Suec' fasc. 5. No. 91, and is thus proved 

 to be the plant described under that name by him. 



Glyceria fluitans may at once be distinguished by its even 

 sheaths, those of the other species under consideration being 

 sulcate. G. pedicellata may be known from G. plicata by its 

 spikelets being much longer and florets larger, its panicle simple 

 and elongate, one branch only of each cluster bearing more than 

 one spikelet, and the whole plant of a lighter green and more 

 wire-like. A common observer might at a glance distinguish 

 the plants by these characters. 



The character of the inflorescence in G. pedicellata appears 

 constant, whilst in the other plants it is variable, and for this 

 reason I have noticed varieties derived from the form of inflo- 

 rescence. By a compound panicle I understand that the main 

 branches develope other branches upon which the spikelets are 

 arranged, and the panicle is thus twice compound ; in the simple 

 panicle the pedicels of the spikelets spring directly from the main 

 branches. 



The name pedicellata has been chosen in consideration of the 

 pedicels of the spikelets being longer and more decided in that 

 plant than in the others, which have frequently quite sessile 

 spikelets. 



I have met with no description of G. pedicellata. From its 

 having somewhat intermediate characters, it has probably been 

 confounded both with G. fluitans and G. plicata. With regard 

 to published figures, of which there are many, I will venture a 

 few remarks. The figure given by Reichenbach (Icon. Fl. Germ. 



