Localities. — On barren mountainous moors, and on turfy boRgy beatlis, not 
(infrequent, especially in the more noithcrn counties. — Oxfordsh Marshes at 
Ileadington: Or. Maton. Not found there now: \V. B —Cheshire ; On the 
moors above Stay ley Wood, &c.: Bot. Guide. — Cornwall ; On wet moors, not 
uncommon. Near Penzance, by the Cromlech: ibid. Mr. H. C. Watson be- 
lieves he Iras seen it on the heath near Kynance Cove : see N. B. G. — Cumber- 
land; On ail the hills and peat-mosses in low grounds: B.G. Common among 
the hills, ascending to the top of Saddleback : N. B. G. — Derbysh. Hills behind 
Mam Tor from Castleton; near Pleasley ; Combe’s Moss: ibid. — Devon; Dart- 
moor Common; Haldon ; and in bogs between Clovelly and ;\ilkhampton : FI. 
Devon. — Durham; Turfy bogs, on moors, CScc. : N. J. Winch, Ksq .—Kent; 
On Waterdown Forest, near the piace where the Aspidium Thelvpteris grows : 
N. B.G. — Lancash. Blackstone Kdge; Pillan Moss: B.G. — Norfolk; On 
Bawdsey Bottom near Lynn: B.G. — Northumberl. Turfy bogs, on moors. 
Prestwick Carr; and near Shewing Shields: N. J. Winch, F.sq. — Notts ; com- 
mon: N. B.G. — Shropsh. Clee Hills; K.llardine Moss; near Ellesmere, abun- 
dantly; Hancott Bog; bog near Kllesmere; Felton Farm, near Ludlow; 
Bomere Pool, near Shrewsbury; Knockin Heath; and Vownog Bog, near 
Westfelton : FI. of Shropsh.— Somerset. On Glastonbury, and Buttle Tuft- 
moors, abundantly : B.G. — Surrey; Leigh Hill Common, near Dorking ; and 
boggy parts of Shirley Common, near Croydon: B.G. — Sussex; Amberley 
Wildbrooks, and neighbouring bogs; Broadwater Common near Tunbridge 
Wells: B.G. Mr. W. Fajipun, jun. doubts whether it has been found on 
Broadwater Common, of late years. — Wurivicksh. Banncrsley Pool; bog below 
Coleshill ; Bitmingham Heath, in the marshy valley, crossed by the footpath to 
Winson Green; and near Packington : N.B.G. — Westmoreland ; common : 
B.G. — Worcestersh. rare: N. B.G. — Yorksh. On high barren moors. Cronk- 
ley Fell; Richmond ; Blackmoor, near Leeds; Heath north-west of I errington 
Cari ; and on Black Bird Moor, both near Castle Howard; Tanfield Carr; bog 
in the Ox ('lose, near Ripon ; near Beverley ; Moors between llainblelon and 
Helmsley ; Moors near Gearstones ; on Cockil Moss and Helleth Moss, near 
Settle; and at the foot of Pennigent Hill: Baines’ FI. of Yorksh. — W Cl.KS. 
Frequent in the counties of Brecknock ; Carmarthen ; Caernarvon ; Denbigh; 
Flint; Glamorgan ; Merioneth ; and Monmouth. — Not uncommon in I url- 
bogs and barren Aloors in SCO I LA ND and LIIELA N D, especially in moun- 
tainous districts. 
Perennial. — Flowers in March and April. 
Root slightly creeping. Culms ( stems J tufted, jointed, smooth, 
triangular at the top, round below, upright, shorter than the leaves 
when in flower, but finally becoming much longer, with several in- 
flated, strongly reticulated sheaths in the lower part, one or two of 
them elongated into leaves. Leaves numerous, upright, slender, 
triangular, striated, sharp-pointed. Spike (see fig. 1.) solitary, 
terminal, somewhat acuminate, silvery-grey when in flower. Glumes 
(see fig. 2.) with long points, thin, membranous, shining, single- 
ribbed. Anthers prominent, yellow. Fruit triangular, rough with 
minutely elevated points. 
This is an elegant grass, especially when in seed, at which time 
its spikes are very conspicuous, resembling tufts of the finest white 
silk or cotton. Sheep are said to be very fond of this grass, but its 
produce is very scanty ; and Mr. Sinclair remarks, that as far as 
he had opportunity to observe, they only crop the foliage in the 
Spring, till the finer natural grasses afford them a bite. The long 
silky hairs which spring from the base of the fruit of this and some 
other species of the same genus, have been attempted to be manu- 
factured into cloth, paper, &c\, but from the brittleness of their 
texture most of the attempts have failed. 
