Calamagrostis.] gramine^. 587 



This rare or rather local British grass was first distinguished as a species by 

 Curtis, and, ihouKh not conspicuous or striking in its habit, is readily known from 

 its congeners by the narrow, close, spiked panicle, the very fine bristle-like leaves, 

 and the gray silvery hue of the herbage, delighting to spring under the shelter of 

 the heath and furze. In more open places it forms a fine elastic but slippery 

 turf; yet, abundant as it is on our heaths and downs, I do not believe it yields a 

 palatable food to sheep, if they touch it at all, as in many parts where this grass 

 almost covers the soil, and sheep abound, its silveiy panicle waves uncropped by 

 thdse animals. 



Agrostis setacea is quite confined to the counties south of London, unless the 

 alleged Yorkshire and Scottish stations, which want confirmation, should prove to 

 be correct. It is the prevailing grass on Southampton common, as also in many 

 parts of Devonshire and Cornwall : it is also plentiful in the West of France and 

 in Portugal, but in the Isle of Wight has almost reached its eastern limit, having 

 hitherto been detected in only one spot in Sussex, and abundantly in Surrey on 

 Bagshot heath, which is its most northerly well-ascertained limit. 



IX. Calamagrostis, Adans. Small-reed. 



" Panicle loose or close. Spikelets laterally compressed. 

 Glumes 3, nearly equal, longer than the floret, which is sur- 

 rounded by hairy scales at the base. Glumellas 2, membrana- 

 ceous ; outer one (sometimes shortly) awned at the point or back, 

 very rarely awnless. Neuter floret wanting, or reduced to a short 

 scale or pedicel." — Br. Fl. 



1. C. Epigejos, Both. Wood Small-reed. Glumes subulate 

 their keels rough, panicle close before and after flowering, florets 

 crowded unilaterally on the branches, outer palea with a dorsal 

 awn nearly as long as the calyx. Br. Fl. p. 523. Parn. Gr. t. 

 16. Arundo Epig., L. : Sm. E. Fl. i. p. 169. E. B. vi. t. 403 

 (bona). Curt. Br. Entom. xiv. t. et fol. 666. Host. Gram. Aust. 

 iv. 24, t. 42. 



In moist open places on sand and clay in woods, thickets and amongst bushes; 

 abundant in the northern part of the island, and especially in E. Medina ; bnt 

 not found on chalk, and hence rare in the southern half of the island. Fl. July, 

 August !(.. 



E. Med. — Everywhere about Ryde, where there is scarcely a patch of wood or 

 bushes that does not produce this grass. Above Cowpit cliff, 1844. Almost 

 everywhere along the shore, on wet clay, between E. Cowes and King's quay, as 

 well as along the shores of that estuary. Willow-bed below Stapler's farm, and 

 elsewhere near Newport. 



W. Med. — In and about Parkhurst forest. Thorness wood and shore adjacent. 

 Near the Medina above Cowes. Frequent about Yarmouth, as by the roadside 

 nearly opposite Afton house, near Wellow. 



Root slender, creeping, with a few whitish fibres. Culms erect, 3 or 4 feet high, 

 round, slender, hollow, rough only for an inch or two below the panicle. Leaves 

 of the barren radical shoots much shorter than the culms, erect, linear, taper- 

 pointed, very rough ou the keel and margins, pale green and a little glaucous, 

 flat, but soon becoming involute when gathered ; those of the culm few, distant, 

 with very long close sheaths, pale green, linear and tapering, roughish beneath 

 and on the edges, often involute. Ligule about i an inch long, lanceolate and 

 usually much torn. Panicle often a foot in length, slender, lobed, tapering to a 

 point, a little inclining; pale, purplish, reddish or a mixture of all together; of 

 many half-whorled, slender, rough and compound branches. Florets crowded 

 unilaterally on the branches of the panicle, which spread a little only whilst in 



