23 



One of the most elegant of our taller grassesj and of common 

 occurrence in moist woods and wet shady places in most. parts of 

 the kingdom. Stems from three to four feet in height. Leaves 

 half an inch or more in breadth. Inflorescence spreading widely : 

 branches of the panicle very smooth and slender, in distant alter- 

 nate tufts, which are so arranged as to appear almost verticillate, 

 horizontal when in flower, but eventually deflexed. The plants 

 multiply by the root as well as by seed, sending out horizontal 

 shoots of considerable length, in some habitats, which root at the 

 joints as they extend. 



Perennial. Flowers in June. 



The compass of an octavo plate enables us to convey but a very 

 imperfect notion of the beauty of this grass in situations favourable 

 to its growth ; the panicle is often more than a foot in length, and 

 the slenderness of its branches such, that the small shining spikelets 

 appear, at a short distance, as though suspended in the air. 

 Cattle will eat it, but, as it will not grow in pastures, its capabilities 

 for agricultural purposes need not be discussed. Sinclair, however, 

 informs us that "birds are remarkably fond of the seeds," and 

 remarks that " in covers, where game is preserved, there cannot be 

 a better grass encouraged ; it will save the cornfields." 



Genus 10. GASTRIDIUM. Nit Grass. 



Gen. Char. Inflorescence a contracted panicle, subspicate. Spike- 

 lets one-flowered. Glumes two, unequal, membranaceous, 

 acute, awnless, ventricose at the base, much longer than the 

 flower. Palese two ; the lower one truncate or toothed at the 

 apex, with or without a dorsal awn. Fruit invested by the 

 dried palese. 



The species, few in number, were formerly united with Milium, 

 with which, however, they appear to haje really no structural 

 affinity, independent of the difference in general aspect and the 

 form of inflorescence. The striking dissimilarity presented by their 

 flowers will be readily perceived by comparing the magnified views 

 of those of Milium -effusum, Plate XX., with those of Gastridium 

 lendigerum, Plate XXL, the figures marked a, b, c, corresponding 

 as to the parts represented. 



The name, from the Greek gastridion, a ventricle, or little 

 swelling, is characteristic of the peculiar expansion of the base of 

 the glumes. 



Gastridium lendigerum. Awned Nit Grass. Plate XXI. 

 Inflorescence compact. Glumes lanceolate, acuminate, swollen 



