AIRA CARYOPHYLLEA. 
SILVER Harr-GRASSs. 
AIRA. Linn. Gen. PA  TRIANDRIA DicGyNia. 
Cal. 2-valvis, 2-florus. Flofeul: abfque interje&to rudimento. 
Rau Syn. Gen. 27. 
AIRA caryophyllea, foliis fetaceis, panicula divaricata, floribus ariftatis diftantibus. 
$:112. Sp. Pl p.97. 
HERB«z GRAMINIFOLIZE FLORE IMPERFECTO CULMIFER X. 
Linn. Sy. Vegetab. 
AVENA. diantha, foliis fetaceis, panicula divaricata, Haller Hit. n. 1482. 
AIRA foliis fetaceis, panicula trichotoma, floribus ariftatis divergentibus. Hud/on FJ. Angl. ed. 2. 2. 36. 
CARYOPHYLLUS arvenfis glaber minimus. Baub. Pin. 210. 
GRAMEN paniculatum purpuro-argenteum, 
locuftis parvis annuum. Hi, Ox. III. 200. 7. 5. f. 11. 
GRAMEN paniculatum, locuftis purpuro-argenteis annuum. Rai? Syn. p. 407.. Small annual fair- 
panicled Grafs. 
p as va —————————A - r' — —áÀM— - - - US — Ld i 
RADIX annua, fibrofa, fibris paucis, in terram vix 
defcendentibus, unde plantula venti impetu 
facile eruitur. 
CULMUS erectus, fpithamzus, et ultra, teres, ftriatus, 
foliatus, bitrinodis. 
FOLIA fetacea, brevia, rigidula, convoluta, erecta 
lauca, obtufiufcula: Vagine longe, ftriate, 
COM marginibus membranaceis albi- 
dis; Membrana magna, acuminata, demum 
bifida. 
5 
PANICULA divaricata; Pedunculy folitarii, in culta 
planta plerumque gemini, longi, ramofi, tri- 
fidi, glabri; Pedrce/// breves, parum flexuofi ; 
Flores diftantes. 
CALYX: Gluma biflora, bivalvis, valvulis ovato-lan- 
ceolatis, acutis, sequalibus, albidis, nitidis, 
bafi fubpurpurafcentibus, fg. 1. 
COROLLA bivalvis, valvule feffiles, fubaquales, 
calyce vix breviores, virefcentes, acute, 
exteriore ariftata, fig. 9. 2477/4 prope bafin 
egrediens, recta, alba, calyce dimidio lon- 
glor, fig. 3. 
STAMINA: FiLAMENTA 3, capillaria, longitudine 
fere floris; AnTHER# oblonge, utrinque 
furcate, jig. 4. 
PISTILLUM : GzaMzN ovatum; Sryut 2, patentes, 
plumofi, fig. 5. 
SEMEN fubovatum, tectum, fg. 6. denudatum. 
ROOT annual, fibrous, fibres few, penetrating but a 
little way into the earth, whence the plant 
by the violence of the wind, is eafily forced 
out of the ground. 
STALK upright, about a fpan high, round, flriated, 
leafy, with two or three joints. 
LEAVES fetaceous, fhort, fomewhat rigid, the edges 
rolled in, upright, glaucous, a little blunt: 
Sheaths long, ftriated, roughifh, the edges 
membranous and white; the Membrane 
large, long-pointed, finally bifid. 

| 
PANICLE divaricated ; Peduncles growing fingly, in 
the cultivated plant ufually two together, 
long, branched, trifid, and fmooth ; Pedicles 
fhort, fomewhat crooked ; Flowers diftant. 
i CALYX: a Glume of two flowers, two-valved, the 
valves ovato-lanceolate, acute, equal, whitifh, 
glofly, purplifh at the bafe, /g. 1. 
a little fhorter than the calyx, greenifh, 
pointed, the outer one awned, fig. 2. Awn 
proceeding from near its bafe, ftraight, white, 
longer by one half than the calyx, fe. 9. 
STAMINA: 3 capillary FinAMENTS, nearly the | 
length of the flower; ANTHER# oblong, 
forked at each end, fig. 4. 
Q 
Q 
Q 
S 
' 
¢ 
Q 
( 
j COROLLA two-valved, valves feffile, nearly equal, 
Q 
Q 
Q 
Q 
Q 
Q 
( 
Q 
Q 
@ 
Q0 PISTILLUM: Geren ovate; STYLES 2, fpreading, 
and feathery, jig. 5. 
SEED fomewhat ovate, covered with the corolla, 
Jig. 6. denuded. 
The Aira caryophyllea is found with us in fituations nearly fimilar to thofe of the Ara precox, already figured, , 
viz. on fandy, barren heaths, and fometimes in fallow fields; it is not, however, to be met with in the fame ' 
-profufion, nor to be found with the fame certainty. 
It flowers in May and June, and as it is an annual, unlefs it be fought for about its flowering feafon, 
it will not eafily be difcovered. 
Our figure reprefents the plant as it is ufually found in its wild flate; in richer foils it grows much 
larger, and in tufts of a confiderable fize. 
We have no other Aira for which it can eafily be miftaken, the ffexuo/a which frequently grows in the fame 
fituations is a perennial, and ufually twice or thrice as high, its fpicule alfo are larger, and more filvery, the 
precox on the contrary is a {maller plant, and has a much clofer panicle. 
We never could difcover the propriety of Mr. SriniiNGrLEET'S figuring this plant among his graffes; what 
has fuch a very infignificant annual to do with the improving of meadows and paftures ? 
