Root of numerous, very strong, downy fibres. Culms ( stems J 
numerous, from 4 to 8, or 10 inches high, upright, rigid, wiry, 
somewhat furrowed, with from 1 to 3 joints near the base, with a 
short leaf to each ; the upper part naked, and roughish with minute 
bristles (see fig. 6). Root-leaves very numerous, long, bristle-like, 
furrowed, roughish, and, like the culms, remaining bleached through 
the winter. Sheaths ( vagina ) about one-third the length of the 
leaves, membranaceous, whitish. Stipula (ligula) egg-shaped, 
prominent. Spike long, upright, yellowish -white, or violet - 
coloured; raclns ( spike-stalk J (see fig. 5.) grooved and toothed 
at short distances for the insertion of the florets, which are placed 
alternately in two rows, and all point to one side. Palccc /'valves 
of the corolla J (see fig. 1.) spear-shaped, outer one coriaceous, 
purplish-green, awned ; inner one smaller, membranous, awnless. 
Style and Stigma single. Plant tufted, and surrounded at the base 
with the remains of the old culms and leaves. 
This is easily distinguished from all other British Grasses by 
the florets having one style only ; by the slenderness and rushy 
stiffness of the culms and leaves ; and by the florets being thinly 
dispersed along the spike, mostly in pairs, and all pointing in one 
direction. 
It is an inferior grass, the whole herbage is stiff and hard to the 
touch, and being generally short and wiry, it eludes the stroke of 
the scythe, and takes off its edge, which makes it disliked by 
mowers ; it is not often, however, that it comes under the scythe 
in England, as it seldom occurs with us, except about bogs on 
heaths and moors. It is a deep-rooted grass, and Schrank cele- 
brates it as a safe support to the hands of the alpine Botanist, in 
precipitous situations, though it renders his path very slippery. 
From the observations of Linnaeus, it appears that horses, sheep, 
and goats eat it ; cows are not fond of it ; and swine refuse it. 
Rooks stock it up for the sake of the larvae of insects, which they 
find at the root. 
With us it is not, that I know of, put to any use whatever ; but 
Mr. Sinclair states, that the straw being long without joints, and 
very fine, equal, and tough, induces him to consider it as probably 
the best grass for the supply of straw for the Leghorn plat. 
LinNjEUS informs us, in his Lachcsis Lapponica, that in Smo- 
land, this grass is called Kaffa Skicegg, or Old Man's Beard; at 
Pithoea, Svinborst, Hog's Bristles; and at Lulea, Lapp-lidr , Lap- 
land Hair. 
The north side of Shotover Hill, and the south side of Cumnor 
Hurst, are the only stations in which I have observed it in the 
neighbourhood of Oxford. — The drawing for the accompanying 
plate was made from a specimen given me by my friend, Mr. W. 
Willis, of Wallingford, Berks. 
