ORNAMENTAL GRASSES. 79 



to six flowers, the seeds triangular and black. There is 

 a dwarf species, a native of China, called by the seeds- 

 men E. oligostachya, but Muhlenberg does not describe 

 it. It is very graceful and well suited for cultivation in 

 flower-beds. 



The Stipa pennata is a familiar garden-plant, com- 

 monly called Feather-grass. A writer in the c Cottage 

 Gardener's Magazine' very aptly observes that "this plant 

 is among grasses what the Bird of Paradise is among 

 birds." The awns are prolonged to an immense length, 

 and are delicately feathered. There are few flowers in 

 the panicle, and each spikelet contains but one. The 

 awns are twisted at the base, then slightly arched, and 

 are so prominent from their great length and beauty 

 that all the plant seems composed of these awn-feathers. 

 The root is perennial, and fibrous; the leaves are long, 

 very narrow, sharp at the point, very dark green in 

 colour, and growing in thick tufts. It is said to have 

 been found wild in Britain, but it is so no more. In 

 Germany it is not -unfrequent, and Desfontaines de- 

 scribes it as frequenting sandy hills in France. It is 

 easily propagated in gardens by dividing the root in the 

 spring, or it may be sown in pots and transplanted when 

 an inch high. 



Stipa juncea is less beautiful, its panicle is very lax, 

 and the awns are twisted like a corkscrew for two-thirds 

 of their length, the remaining third is downy. The 

 leaves also are twisted and rigid. It grows in similar 

 situations in Algeria to those affected by the Stipa pen- 

 nata on the continent of Europe. It is less desirable as 

 a border plant, though sufficiently elegant, but thrown 

 into shade by the true Feather-grass. Both these 

 species flourish best on a chalky or limestone soil. They 



