590 GEAMiNEJE. [Air a. 



sheathing, torn and bifid. Panicle linear-lanceolate, eiect, scarcely exceeding an 

 inch in length at most, of several upright, slightly compound, roughish, angular, 

 waved branches, so closely coarctale as to appear spiked. Spihelets ovato-Ianceo- 

 late, erect, glabrous, of a silvery gray aspect mixed with green, sometimes pur- 

 plish. Glumes equal, ovato-lanceolate, a litile compressed, awnless, green and 

 towards the summit scabrous at the back, with very broad soariose margins, ex- 

 tremely acute and minutely jagged or serrate at the often cloven apex and for 

 some distance below it along the edges, 3-ribbed, the two lateral ribs shorter than 

 the middle one and conspicuous chiefly at the base, where the glumes are slightly 

 if at all rounded or gibbous as in the next. Florets 2, about as long as the , 

 glumes, the inferior one sessile, the superior stipitate, on a very short pedicel, 

 each with a few short hairs forming a tuft at the base. Palece glabrous, light 

 green; inferior and ouler one lanceolate, concave, acuminate, deeply bifid, with 

 slender, pale, scabrous points, faintly (5-?) ribbed, furnished with a dorsal awn 

 nearly twice its own length, brown in its lower, pale in its upper half, twisted and 

 somewhat geniculate, smooth or roughish ; superior and inner palea shorter than 

 the outer, lanceolate, membranous, slightly cloven, with broadly inflexed margins 

 and a green, roughish, lateral rib on each side at the angle of reduplication. 

 Stamens short; anthers yellow. Germen turbinate, substipitate ; styles shorl, dis- 

 tant, branched nearly from the base but not copiou.sly. 



This is one of the smallest and earliest of our grasses, and is closely allied to 

 A. caryophi/llea, from which, however, its smaller size and close spicate panicle at 

 once distinguish it. 



* Panicle lax, spreading or diffuse. 



2. A. caryophyllea, L. Silvery Hair-grass. Panicle divari- 

 cated, florets slightly villous at their base both sessile shorter 

 than the glumes, awn inserted below the middle of and much 

 longer than the valve, leaves setaceous, ligule lanceolate cloven. 

 Sm. E. Fl. i. p. 106. Br. Fl. p. 528. Lind. Syn. p. 308. E. B. 

 xii. t. 812. Curt. Fl. Lond. fasc. 6, t. 6. Host. Gram. Aust. ii. 

 33, t. 44. 



In dry, barren, gravelly and hilly pastures; not uncommon. Fl. June, July. 



0. 



E. Med. — In rough elevated fields near Bembridge, plentifully. Field be- 

 tween Saudown and Lee farm, in great profusion. On Royal heath and Lake 

 common. [St. Helens spit, plentifully. Dr. Bell-Salter, Edrs] 



Root small, of a few hairy fibres. Culm erect, from 3 to 12 inches high, 

 smooth, slender. Leaves few, very narrow, from their involute edges appearing 

 setaceous, erect, sliflSsh, many-ribbed; upper ones much shorter than their 

 smoolh, striated, but angular sheaths. Lir/ule tapering into a very long acute 

 point. Panicle ui numerous capillary, repeatedly trichotomous, erect or patent 

 branches, that are smoothish and a little waved orflexuose, but much less so than 

 in the following species. Glumes equal, lanceolate, very acute, ribless, with 

 white, jagged, membranous tips, and variegated green and purple. Florets much 

 shorter than the glumes, both sessile, and with a minute tuft of hairs at their 

 base. Pale(B unequal, granulated ; outer or lower one with a tapering, serrated, 

 or bristly and cloven point, and having a long, i-ough, jointed awn on the back 

 below the middle of the valve, purplish beneath, pale above the articulation; 

 inner valve much shorter and flatter. 



This grass is more likely to be mistaken for A.fiexuosa than for the preceding, 

 to both of which indeed it is very nearly allied, and as it were an intermediate 

 though very distinct species. 



3. A. flexuosa, L. Wave Hair-grass. Panicle (when flower- 

 ing) difl'use, florets villous at the base about as long as the glumes, 

 one of them on a short pedicel, awn jointed much longer than the 



