91 



HIEEOCHLOE BOKEALIS. 



E.OEMEE AND ScHULTES. PaENELI. HoOKEE AND GeEVILLE. 



J. E. Smith. Lindlet. BABiNaTON. Eeichenbach. 



PLATE XXIX. A. 



Holcus horealis, Scheadee. 



" odoratus, LiNNiEus. Smith. Willdeno"vv. 



" " Oedee. Sinclaie. Wahlenbbbg. 



Sierochloe odorata, Koch. 



The Holy Grass. 



Hierochloe- — Sacred Grass. Borealis — North. 



Hieeochloe. Omelin. — The "Holy Grass" has a wide-spread panicle, 

 •.nd derives its name from two Greek words, signifying Sacred Grass, because 

 according to Gmehn, it is on the sacred festivals in some parts of Per- 

 sia, scattered before the doors of churches, being dedicated to the Virgiu 

 Mary. Sir W. Hooker remarks that a similar custom stiU prevails at 

 Norwich, where the Acorus calamus, or "Sweet Sedge," is the favoured 

 plant. 



Great Britain only possesses one species, namely, Sierochloe horealis, 

 which has been found in Scotland. It is an abundant Iceland plant. 



This very rare species, although one of our earliest, yet it 

 is not a -valuable Grass. 



It is confined to Scotland, having been found by the late 

 Mr. G. Don, in a mountain valley called Kella, near the 

 Spittle of Glen Shee, Forfarshire, and near Thurso, Caithness, 

 in 1854, by Mr. Robert Dick. 



Abroad it is native of Norway, Sweden, Lapland, Iceland, Italy, 

 France, Germany, Prussia, Kamtschatka, and Eussian America. 



R 



