(41C.) 
A I' R A * * 
Linnean Class and Order. Tria'ndria f, Dicy'nia. 
Natural Order. Grami'ne.e, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 28. — Sm. Gram, 
to B >t. p. 86. ; Engl. Fl.v. i. p. 7 ] . — Lindl. Syn. p. 293. ; Introd. 
of Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 292. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 393. — Loud. 
Hort. Brit. p. 542. — Mack. FI. Hibern. p. 294. — Hook. Brit. FI. 
(4th ed.) p. 426. — Gramina, Linn. Graminales ; Burn. Outl. 
of Bot. v. i. p. 359. 
Gen. Char. Injlorescence panicled ; Panicle loose. Spikelets 
(see fig. 1.) 2-flowered. Calyx (see fig. 1.) of 2, nearly equal 
glumes. Corolla (fig. 2.) of 2, unequal, membranaceous and thin 
pale®, the outer palea largest, with a dorsal, slightly-twisted or 
straight awn, proceeding from above the base ; inner palea notched 
at the point, awnless. Nectary of 2, entire, smooth scales. Fila- 
ments (see figs. 1 & 2.) 3, hair-like. Anthers prominent, pendu- 
lous, notched at each end. Germen (see fig. 3.) egg-shaped. Styles 
short, distinct. Stigmas (see fig. 3.) feathery, large. Seed (fig. 4.) 
egg-shaped, loose, covered with the membranous corolla. 
The loose panicle ; the 2-flowered spikelets, with a calyx of 2 
nearly equal glumes; the corolla with its lower palea awned near 
the base ; and the loose seed ; will distinguish this from other genera 
in the same class and order. 
Six species British. 
AI'RA CARYOPHY'LLEA. Clove Hair-grass. Silver Hair-grass. 
Spec. Char. Panicle spreading, triple-forked. Florets scarcely 
villous at the base, shorter than the calyx. Awn inserted below the 
middle ; jointed, longer than the calyx. Leaves bristle-shaped. 
Engl. Bot. t. 812. — Curt. FI. Loud. t. . — Knapp. Gram. Brit. t. 35. — Graves’ 
Br. Grasses, t. 45. — Host. Gram. Austr. v. ii. p. 33. t. 44. — FI. Dan. t. 382. — Still. 
Miscell. Tracts, t. 5. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 97. — Huds. FI. Angl. (2uded.) p. 36. — 
Willd. Sp. FI. v. i. pt. i. p. 380. — Sm. FI. Br. v. i. p. 88. ; Engl. FI. v. i. p. 106. — 
With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 162. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 134. — Lind. Syn. p. 308. — 
Hook. Brit. FI. p. 36. — Macr. Man. Br. Bot. p. 266. — Lightf. FI. Scot. v. i. p. 95. — 
Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 39. — Abbot’s FI. Bedf. p. 16. — Thomp. PI. of Berw. p. 10, — 
Davies’ Welsh Bot. p. 9. — Purt. Midi. FI. v. i. p. 73. — Relh. FI. Cant. (3rd edit.) 
,p. 33. — Ilook. FL Scot. p. 30. — Grcv. FI. Ediu. p. 20. — FI. Devon, pp. 14 & 122. — 
Johnst. FI. Berw. v. i. p. 21. — Winch’s FI. of Northumb. & Durh. p. 6. — Walker’s 
FI. of Oxf. p. 20. — Perry's PI. Varv. Selectae, p. 8. — Bab. FI. Bath. p.57. ; Prim. 
FI. Sam. p. 108. — Murr. Northern FI. p. 54. — Dick. FI. Abrcd. p. 23. — Irv. Lond. 
FI. p. 96. — Luxf. Eeig. FI. p. 7. — Cow. FI. Guide, p. 19. — Leight. FI. of Shropsh. 
p. 60. — Mack. Catal. of PI. of Irel. p. 13. ; FI. Hibern. p. 300. — Gramen pani- 
culatum minimum molte, Scheuchz. Agrost. p. 215. t. 4. f. 15. — Gramen pa- 
niculatum locustis parvis purpuro-argenties annuum, Ray’s Syn. p. 407. 
Localities. — On heaths, hillocks, in pastures, and fallow fields, on a barren 
sandy soil ; frequent. 
Fig. 1. A Spikelet. — Fig. 2. A separate Floret. — Fig. 3. Germen, Styles, and 
Stigmas. — Fig. 4. A Seed. — Figs. 1, 2, & 3, magnified. 
• From airo, Gr. to destroy. This name was anciently applied to the Lolium 
temulentum /bearded Darnel.) on account of its injurious effects ; and now to 
the present genus of grasses, though having little in common with it. Sir W. J. 
Hooker. t See folio 56, note t. 
