970 



THE GRASS FAMILY. 



fine leaves. Panicle contracted, J to 1 

 inch long. Spikelets rather more than 

 a line long, the outer glumes very sca- 

 rious. Flowering glumes small, cleft at 

 the top, and slightly hardening, as in 

 Oat ; the short, hair-like awns shortly 

 protruding beyond the outer glumes. 



In sandy and hilly pastures, in cen- 

 tral and southern Europe, and western 

 Asia, extending into Scandinavia, but 

 not far to the north. Generally spread 

 over Britain, to the northern extremity 

 of Scotland. Fl. spring. 



jig. 1177. 



5. Silvery Aira. Aira caryophyllea, Limi. (Tig. 1178.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 812. Hair- grass.) 



A slender, graceful, tufted annual, sel- 

 dom above 6 inches high, with short, 

 fine leaves, as in the early A., but the 

 panicle is loose and spreading, with long, 

 capillary branches, usually in threes, 

 often occupying half the whole height 

 of the plant. Spikelets and glumes as 

 in the early A. 



In sandy and hilly pastures, with the 

 same area as the early A., and fully as 

 common in Britain. Fl. summer, rather 

 early. 



Fig. 1178. 



XVIII. OAT. AYENA. 



Spikelets several-flowered (usually with 3 to 5 flowers, rarely more, 

 or 2 only), in a loose panicle. Glumes scarious, at least at the top; 



