296 BRITISH GRASSES. 



Genus XLI. SESLERIA. 



Gen. Char. Spikelets few-flowered; inflorescence spike- 

 like, cylindrical ; outer glumes nearly equal, ovate-lanceolate, 

 concave, acute ; flowering glumes erect, acute, nearly equal, 

 toothed at the top ; palea folded, two-ribbed, cloven ; fila- 

 ments three, hair-like, longer than the flowering glumes ; 

 anthers pendulous, oblong, notched at both ends; ovary 

 ovate, styles two, varying in length, somewhat combined; 

 stigmas long, cylindrical, feathery ; seed ovate, smooth. 



Sesleria caerulea, Ard. Blue Sesleria. 



Root perennial, tufted, deeply descending, with long firm 

 fibres ; stems simple, cylindrical, smooth, naked, except at 

 the base, slender, light-green, six to twelve inches high; 

 leaves linear, obtuse, recurved, broadish, keeled, rough- 

 edged, those from the root narrow, long, and pointed ; those 

 on the stem broader, ribbed, roughish on the inner surface, 

 and smooth on the outer; sheaths short, tubular, com- 

 pressed, covering the joints which are all situated near the 

 base; ligule very small; spike (or raceme) oval, oblong, 

 terminal, solitary, erect, an inch and a half long, of a shining 

 purple-grey; spikelets imbricated on all sides of the rachis, 

 in pairs on very short footstalks, each containing two or 

 three florets ; outer glumes nearly equal, without lateral 

 ribs, toothed on the upper part of the keel ; flowering glumes 

 five-ribbed, toothed at the summit, a slight awn arising from 

 the middle one ; palea narrow, with two teeth at the summit, 

 and the marginal ribs fringed. Ovary small, white; styles 

 joined at the lower part only. 



The Blue Sesleria, or Moor-grass, is a native of moun- 

 tainous pasture, where it raises its bluish heads in the 

 spring. It also thrives among calcareous rocks in alpine 

 districts of Yorkshire, Westmoreland, Cumberland, Dur- 

 ham, and Ireland (county Sligo) ; it also prevails in 



