GKAMIN-K.K. 



D68 



panicle, always contracted except during 

 the moment the flowers are expanded. 

 Glumes narrow, and more pointed than 

 in the common A., the lowest always 

 longer than the second, the flowering 

 one with a fine awn at its base, usually 

 slightly protruding beyond the outer 

 glumes. Palea very minute. 



On dry heaths, in western Europe, 

 from Spain and Portugal to Holland. 

 In Britain, only in the south-western 

 counties of England, extending east- 

 ward to Hampshire, and perhaps Sussex 

 and Surrey. Fl. summer. 



Fig. 1167. 



4. Silky Agrostis. Agrostis Spica-venti, Linn. (Fig. 1168.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 951. Apera, Bab. Man.) 



A rather tall, slender, and most ele- 

 gant annual, with rather narrow, flat 

 leaves. Panicle long, and usually spread- 

 ing, with very slender, hair-like branches, 

 and little shining spikelets, scarcely a 

 line long, without the awns. Outer 

 glumes narrow, very pointed, the se- 

 cond rather larger than the lowest one. 

 Flowering glume with a hair-like awn, 

 3 or 4 times as long as the spikelet. 

 Palea small, w r ith a minute, almost mi- 

 croscopic appendage at its base, which is 

 theprolongationofthe axis of the spikelet. 



In fields and sandy pastures, in Eu- 

 rope and Eussian Asia, from the Medi- 

 terranean to the Arctic regions. In Bri- 

 tain, confined to some of the eastern 

 counties of England. Fl. summer. The 

 A. interrupta (Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2951) 

 is a slight variety, with the spikelets 

 more crowded, in a narrow panicle, 

 with nearly erect branches. The anthers are also said to be shorter, 



2 N 2 



Fig. 1168. 



