GEAMINEJE. 587 



5 or 6 inches long, with slender branches, and more often assuming a 

 shining purple colour. Outer glumes about 2 or sometimes 2i lines long, 

 narrow-lanceolate, but broader than in the mood S. Flowering glume nearly 

 as in that species, but the awn is inserted close to the cleft summit. 



In moist woods, and shady places, in northern and central Europe, and 

 Russian Asia, from northern France and the Alps to the Arctic regions. 

 Dispersed over several parts of England, but not so common as the wood S., 

 and unknown in Ireland or Scotland. JFl. summer. 



3. NarroTv Siuallreed. Calamagrostis stricta, Nutt. 



(Arundo, Eng. Bot. t. 2160.) 



A more erect plant than the purple S., 1| to 3 feet high, with stiffer, 

 nan-ow leaves. Panicle very narrow, 4 to 6 inches long. Spikelets smaller 

 than in the last species, the outer glumes broader. Hairs of the axis con- 

 siderably shorter than the flowering gloom, which has an awn inserted 

 rather below the middle, and reaching to about its own length. There is 

 also at the base of the palea a rudimentary prolongation of the axis, in the 

 shape of a minute bristle, with a tuft of hairs. 



In bogs and marshes, in northern and Arctic Europe, Asia, and 

 America, not reaching southward of northern Germany. Rare in Britain, 

 having been formerly found in Scotland, and more recently in the moors 

 round Oakmere, in Cheshire. Fl. summer. ' 



XVII. AIRA. AIRA. 



Very near Oat in aU essential characters, but the spikelets are much 

 smaller, usually with two flowers only, the flowering glumes thinner and 

 more scarious, not projecting beyond the outer glumes, and the hair-Uke 

 awn on their back much shorter than in Oat. 



The species are few, chiefly European and north Asiatic, a very few ex- 

 tending into North America, or reappearing in the southern hemisphere. 



Panicle very loose, with capillary, spreading branches. 



Stems 2 to 4 feet high. Leaves in large txifts, flat and rough. Awns 



shorter than the glumes 1. Tufted A. 



Stems 1 to 1^ feet. Leaves rolled in on the edges. Awns projecting 



from the outer glumes 2. Wavy A, 



Stems 4 to 6 inches. Leaves fine and short. Awns shortly protruding 5. Silvery A, 

 Panicle dense and narrow. Stems 3 to 6 inches. 



Spikelets about 2 lines long. Awns thickened at the top, shorter than 



the outer glumes 3. Qrey A. 



Spikelets rather more than 1 Une. Awn hair-Uke, shortly protruding 4. Early A. 



1. Tufted Aira. Aira csespitosa; Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1453.) 



A tall perennial, forming large, dense tufts, with rather stiff, flat leaves, 

 very rough on the upper surface. Stems 2 to 4 feet, bearing an elegant 

 panicle 6 inches to near a foot long, with spreading, slender, almost capillary 

 branches. Spikelets silvery-grey or purplish, about 1^ hues long. Outer 

 glumes rather imequal, lanceolate and pointed. Flowering glumes scarcely 

 projecting from the outer ones, minutely toothed or jagged at the top, 

 with a fine hair-like awn inserted near its base, and not so long as the 

 glume itself. 



In moist, shady places, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, from the 



