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perceptible that the fkin only remains. The 
common meadow fox-tail will Ihow the pe- 
culiarities which may be: found in the whole 
.order of the graffes ; and it is better to ftudy 
their characters in the natural plant than in 
i plates ; although Mr. Curtis's London Flora 
-will afford much amufement and information 
upon the fubjeft. Upon examining the leaves 
and fheaths by a microfcope, many of them 
will be found furnifhed with brifiles, which 
give them the appearance of a faw ; from this 
circumftance, or the contrary, the fpecies are 
frequently diflinguifhed one from the other. 
The parts of fructification, from their want of 
fplendour, commonly pafs unnoticed, although 
their beauty and ftruclure are fuch as muft 
excite our higheft admiration, when known. 
The natural character of the flowers of 
graffes is their having a glume, or hufk, 
which is the term given to their calyx by 
Linneus. This glume is compofed of one, 
two, or three valves, generally only two ; 
the larger valve hollow, and the fmaller one 
flat. Thefe valves are a kind of fcales, with 
their edges commonly tranfpareht, and moft 
frequently terminated by a pointed thread, 
termed by Linneus arifta, or awn, The 
, awn 
