978 



THE GRASS FAMILY. 



1. Curved Lepturus. Lepturus incurvatus, Trin. 

 (Fig. 1187.) 



(Rottboellia, Eng. Bot. t. 760.) 



An annual, decumbent and much 

 branched at the base ; the flowering 

 stems curved upwards or erect, a few 

 inches, or, when very luxuriant, nearly 

 a foot high, with short fine leaves, the 

 uppermost one close under the flowers. 

 Spike 2 to 4 inches long, usually curved ; 

 the spikelets imbedded as it were in the 

 axis, which breaks off readily at every 

 notch. Outer glumes about 2 lines long, 

 stiff and pointed, with strong green ribs ; 

 the flowering glume and palea rather 

 shorter, of a very delicate transparent 

 texture. 



In salt-marshes and maritime sands 

 and pastures, on the western coasts of 

 Europe ; abundant all round the Me- 

 diterranean, extending eastward to the Caspian and northward to the 

 English Channel. In Britain, it occurs on the shores of England, Ire- 

 land, and southern Scotland, but is not generally common. FL 

 summer. 



Fig. 1187. 



XXIY. NARD. NAKDUS. 



A single species, differing from all other genera of British Grasses 

 in the very simple structure of its spikelets. 



1. Common Ward. Wardus stricta, Linn. (Fig. 1188.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 290, Matgrass.) 



A densely tufted, erect, wiry perennial, 6 inches to near a foot high. 

 Leaves fine, but very stiff and bristle-like. Spikelets 1-flowered, ses- 

 sile, alternately arranged in 2 rows on one side of an erect, slender, 

 simple spike, often assuming a purplish hue. Each spikelet has a single 



