71 



AIRA CARYOPHYLLEA. 



LlNNJEUS. HoOKEE AND AeNOTT. J. E. SjIITH. PaBNELL. BaBINGTON. 



Keichenbach. Gbeville. Lindley. 

 Willdenow. Knapp. Ccetis. Stillingfleet. Geeates. Oedee. 



plate xxi. b. 



Avena caryophyllea, Koch. 



The Silver Hair-Grass. 



Aira — To destroy. Caryophyllea — ? 



Another useless agricultural Grass, growing in dry gravelly 

 situations, and tolerably abundant in England, Scotland, and 

 Ireland. 



It is a very handsome species. 



Found in Germany, France, and Italy. 



Stem upright, circular, smooth, and striated, bearing three or 

 four short, narrow, rough leaves, with striated, rough sheaths; 

 upper leaf much longer than its sheath, and having a prominent 

 acute ligule at the apex. Joints smooth. Inflorescence com- 

 pound panicled, silvery grey. Panicle upright, triple-forked, 

 spreading, tinged with purple. Rachis smooth. Spikelets small, 

 with rounded bases and slightly swollen, consisting of two awned 

 florets, not protruding beyond the apes of the glumes. Calyx 

 of two equal-sized membranous glumes, destitute of lateral ribs. 

 Florets of two equal-sized palese, exterior one of lowest floret 

 bifid, base hairy, furnished with a slender awn rising from 

 slightly beneath the centre, and extending half its length beyond 

 the apex of the palea. Inner one thin and membranous. Root 

 annual and fibrous. Length from six to twelve inches. 



