Calamagrostis. ] LXXXIX. GRAMINE. 521 
Britain, having been formerly found in Scotland, and more recently in 
the moors round Oakmere in Cheshire, and a variety, Hookeri, Syme, 
about Lough Neagh, in Ireland. Jl. summer. 
[4. C. strigosa, Hartm. (fig. 1192). An Arctic and subarctic species, 
has very recently been discovered in Caithness; it most closely re- 
sembles C. stricta, but has larger spikelets and more acuminate glumes. | 
XVII. AIRA. AIRA. - 
Very near Avena in all essential characters, but the spikelets are 
much smaller, usually with two flowers, only or rarely a single one, the 
flowering glumes thinner and more scarious, not projecting beyond the 
outer glumes, and the hair-like awn on their back much shorter than 
in Avena. 
The species are few, chiefly European and north Asiatic, a very few 
extending into North America, or reappearing in the southern hemi- 
sphere. 
Panicle very loose, with capillary, spreading branches. 
Stems 2 to 4 feet high. Leaves in large tufts, flat and rough. 
Awns shorter than the glumes . . 1. A. ceespitosa. 
Stems 1 to 14 feet. Leaves rolled in on the edges. ‘Awns pro- 
jecting from the outer glumes . 2. A. flexwosa. 
Stems 4 to 6 inches. Leaves fine and short. Awns shortly 
protruding . : : . 5. A. earyophyllea. 
Panicle dense and narrow. Stems 3 to 6 inches. 
Spikelets about 2 lines long. Awns thickened at the top, 
shorter than outer glumes . . 3. A. canescens. 
Spikelets rather more than 1 line. “Awn hair like, shortly 
protruding. : ; . 4. A. preecox. H 
1. A. ceespitosa, Linn. (fig. 1198). Tufted A.—A tall perennial, 
forming large, dense tufts, with rather stiff, flat leaves, very rough 
on the upper surface. Stems 2 to 4 feet, bearing an elegant panicle 6 
inches to near a foot long, with spreading, slender, almost capillary 
branches. Spikelets silvery-grey or purplish, about 14 lines long. 
Outer glumes rather unequal, lanceolate and pointed. Flowering 
glumes scarcely projecting from the outer ones, minutely toothed or 
jagged at the top, with a fine, hair-like awn inserted near their base, 
and not so long as the glume itself. Deschampsia ccespitosa, Beauv. 
In moist, shady places, throughout Europe, from the Mediterranean 
to the Arctic regions, and the temperate and mountain regions of the 
northern and southern hemispheres. Abundantin Britain. Fl. summer. 
A. alpina, Linn., is a variety which in its least altered form only differs 
in its lower stature, with shorter leaves, with the glumes more or less 
enlarged, the awn adhering to it so much the higher as the glume is 
more altered. The whole panicle is usually viviparous, all the glumes 
being elongated, foliaceous, without awns, and containing very imper- 
fect flowers or none. It frequents considerable elevations, or high 
latitudes, and is common in the higher mountains of Scotland. 
2. A. flexuosa, Linn. (fig. 1194). Wavy A.—A much smaller and 
more slender plant than the ordinary form of A. cespitosa, from 1 to 14 
feet high, with very narrow leaves rolled inwards on the edges, and 
almost subulate. Panicle spreading, but not above 2 or 3 inches long ; 
