114 BRITISH GRASSES. 



protruding from every spikelet, would take his fancy cap- 

 tive at a glance. Host gives a charming illustration of 

 this grass in his work on ' Austrian Grasses/ Another 

 very attractive species for garden culture is the Panicum 

 nervosum. It is tall and reed-like in its habit, its pa- 

 nicle light and spreading, in the style of the British 

 Millet-grass ; it is not introduced among those recom- 

 mended by seedsmen. In strong contrast to these giants 

 of the family, the Juniper Panicum appears. Almost 

 mossy in its habit, creeping low on the ground, and ex- 

 tending its procumbent branches far, it might be very 

 suitable for bordering if it could be acclimatized. It is 

 a native of the Isle of Bourbon. Many species cul- 

 tivated in the Kew Gardens, and by nurserymen for 

 ornamental purposes, are mentioned in the chapter on 

 " Ornamental Grasses." 



P. arborescens grows to the height of a forest tree in 

 the East Indies, according to Linnseus. 



The family is most probably named from the form 

 assumed by the inflorescence, but some derive it from 

 pants , bread. 



Tribe III. PHALARID^. 



Spikelets of one perfect floret and two imperfect florets or 

 rudimentary glumes. 



Genus IV. HIEROCHLOE. HOLYGRASS. 



Gen. Char. Panicle more or less spreading ; spikelets 

 three-flowered, only one of the three being perfect ; outer 

 glumes ovate, acute, membranous, keeled, inner and flower- 

 ing ones ovate and coriaceous ; stamens three in the male 

 florets, and two only in the perfect one; anthers linear, 

 pendulous, notched at both ends ; ovary present only in the 

 central floret, small, ovate; styles short, near together; 



