71 
judicious Professor Boreau. Besides these varieties there exists in 
France and Belgium another, called A. multiculinis by M. Dumortier, 
and accepted as a species by MM. Jordan and Boreau. It is very 
likely to occur in England, although 1 have not seen specimens. It 
most nearly resembles the var. aggregata, but has the panicle still 
more compact, having somewhat the aspect of Corynephorus cane- 
scens. Both the florets are awned, but the second one is shortly 
stipitate. 
A. Provincialis (Jord.) is perhaps another variety, found in the 
south of France, and not likely to occur in Britain. It is readily dis- 
tinguished by the lov^er floret not being awned. 
There is a closely allied species, or possibly only well-marked sub- 
species of A carj^ophyllea, viz. A. capillaris, Mert. & Koch, common 
in the south of Europe, with much smaller spikelets, a more lax 
panicle, and the lower floret (or both florets) without an awn, to 
which A. elegans, Gaud., A. Tenorii, Guss., and A. Cupaniana, Gus.^., 
are to be referred, A. Provincialis, Jord., being the connecting link, 
which possibly ought to be referred to this second subspecies. 
Silvery Hair- Grass. 
French, CancTie cnryoj-JujIh'e. German, XilJcenhKdtnger Hafer. 
SPECIES IV.-AIR A PRiECOX. Lirni. 
Plate j^IDCCXXXV. 
Seich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. I. Tab. XCIV. Fig. 179. 
Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. K"o. 884. 
Avena praecox, Pal. de Bemiv. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Hely. ed. ii. p. 922. 
Airopsis prjBCOx, Fries, Summ. Yeg. Scand. p. 78. 
Trisetum prsecox, Dtimort. Agrost. Belg. p. 122. 
Annual. Radical leaves none. Stem leaves setaceous, deeply 
channelled, involute, rough, pale green, the uppermost one very much 
shorter than its sheath ; sheaths smooth ; ligule prominent, lanceo- 
late, lacerate. Panicle dense, often spikelike, erect, closed during 
flowering and afterwards; panicle-branches very short, capillary, erect, 
simple or nearly so. Spikelets few, on unequal pedicels, some as lono- 
as and others shorter than the spikelets. Glumes about as long as 
the spikelets. Lower pale terminating in 2 long tapering acute ser- 
rated cusps. Awn dorsal, from one-third above the base of the pale, 
twisted in the lower half, geniculate about the middle, from half to 
two-thirds as long again as the pales and glumes, that of the lower 
floret sometimes much shorter than that of the upper one. Second 
floret subsessile or very shortly stipitate ; third floret wholly absent. 
Florets with tufts of sliort hairs at the base. 
