Triodia.] gramine^e. 595 



the extremes of heat and cold incident to that climate. It has not however come 

 into general use with them, nor is it likely to supplant the Timothy- and other 

 fine meadow-grasses, lung tried and approved of by agriculturists of both conti- 

 nents.* 



fll Glumes 3- or mostly many-fiotvered. 

 u. Panicle close, compact or spiked. 



XVIII. Triodia, R. Brown. Heath-grass. 



"Panicle racemed. Spikelets compressed, with 2 — 4 fertile 

 florets. Glumes 2, about equal, 3-ribbed, as long as the florets. 

 Glwmellas 2 ; outer somewhat coriaceous, rounded on the back, 

 hairy at the base, 3-toothed at the summit; teeth nearly of the 

 same length, middle one straight (sometimes bristle-shaped)." — 

 Br. Fl. 



1. T. decumhens, P. de Beauv. Decumbent Heath-grass. 

 " Panicle of few racemed spikelets, ligule a tuft of hairs." — Br. 

 Fl. p. 540. Poa, E. B. t. 792. 



On dry heaths aud hilly pastures, not, I believe, uncommon ; also in .boggy 

 raoory ground. jF/. June, July. If. 



E.Med. — Firestone copse. On the down above the Culver cliff. Grounds at 

 the Priory. 



W. Med. — Heathy ground between Yarmouth and Newtown. Bog at Cockle- 

 ton, near Cowes. Plentiful amongst the furze on Colwell heath, especially on its 

 N.W. corner, close to the bay. 



Root tufted, with copious fibres. Culms from 6 to 12 or 15 inches long, at first 

 decumbent, but when in flower erect or inclining, a little compressed, smooth and 

 polished, leafy. Leaves narrow, linear, pointed, rough-edged, quite flat at their 

 base, a little folded towards the tip, with a strong keel running their entire length, 

 their edges and close rather long sheaths beset with fine, soft, white hairs as in 

 Bromus erectus: they are, moreover, remarkable for having their upper surface of 

 a pale glaucous, the under of a full deep green colour, the reverse of which is the 

 case with leaves in general. Ligule a mere fringe of extremely short hairs. Pa- 

 nicle terminal, racemose, of a few short, close, roughish branches, bearing each 

 from 1 — 3 erect spikelets, that are usually 4- or 5-flowered. Glumes nearly equal, 

 ovato-lanceolate, acute, with broad, purplish, membranous edges, 3-ribbed, quite 

 smooth and shining, with a little roughness on the keel only ; about as long as 

 the included florets. Paleie very unequal j outer one ovate, deeply concave, 

 many-ribbed, with three teeth at the apex, the central one either of equal length 

 with the two lateral or produced into a short awn-like point; at the base of the 

 valve on either side is a pencil of fine white hairs; inner palea flat, membranous 

 and diaphanous, closely applied to the outer, more or less obtuse, strongly ciliated 

 along its edges, which towards the base of the valve are inflexed, much thickened 

 and glandular, embracing the short pedicel of the floret next above it; a dark 

 green very strong nerve runs parallel with its outer margin to within a short dis- 

 tance of the apex of the' valve, originating in the thickened inflexed portion of it 

 above-mentioned. 



* See Cuthbert Johnson's ' Agriculture," American edition, by Dr. Emerson, of 

 Philadelphia. 



