﻿( 148 .) 



HIERO'CHLOE* *. 



Linnean Class and Order. TRiA'NDRiAf, Digy'ma. 



Natural Order. Grami'ne.e, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 28. — Sm. Gram, 

 of Bot. p. 68. — Lindl. Syn. p. 293. ; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. 



E . 292. — Loud. Hort. Brit, p.542. — Gra'min.e, Linn. — Rich, by 

 lacgilliv. p. 393. — Sm. Engl. FI. v. i. p. 71. — Gramina'i.es, Burn. 

 Outl. of Bot. p. 359. 



Gen. Char. Panicle mostly loose. Calyx (fig. 1.) of 2, nearly 

 equal, egg-shaped, keeled, pointed, awnless, thin, membranous 

 glumes, containing a spikelet of 3 fiords (see fig. 2.) ; the terminal 

 one (fig. 2, a.) perfect ; lateral ones (fig. 2, b.) barren. Corolla 

 (see fig. 2.) of 2 unequal, permanently membranous, pale® ; the 

 outer largest, egg-shaped, firmer than the glumes, ribbed, often 

 rough, sometimes awned at the back ; inner much narrower, filmy, 

 awnless, cloven or notched at the summit, indexed at the margins. 

 Nectary (fig. 4.) a membranous scale, various in shape. Filaments 

 (see fig. 2.) hair-like, 2 in the perfect floret (fig. 2, a.) ; 3 in each 

 barren one (fig. 2, b.). Anthers (see fig. 2.) strap-shaped, promi- 

 nent, pendulous. Germen (fig. 3.) egg-shaped, small. Styles (see 

 fig. 3.) short, close together, distinct. Stigmas (see figs. 2 & 3.) 

 longer than the corolla, strap-shaped, feathery. Seed egg-shaped, 

 pointed, small, loose, the corolla remaining unchanged. 



All the known species of this genus, which is a very natural 

 one, are remarkable for a fragrant scent when drying, resembling 

 that of Anthoxanthum (see folio 99.), but superior in degree, which 

 is esteemed in Sweden to have a narcotic effect. Sir J. E. Smith. 



Distinguished from other genera with a loose panicle in the same 

 class and order, by the calyx of 2 glumes, containing 3 fiords, 

 the central one perfect, with 2 stamens ; lateral ones barren, with 3. 

 A permanently membranous corolla ; distinct styles ; and loose 

 seed. 



One species British. 



HIERO'CHLOE BOREA'LIS. Northern Holy-grass. 



Spec. Char. Panicle upright, somewhat unilateral. Flower- 

 stalks smooth. Florets awnless ; outer valve of the Corolla ciliated 

 at the margin. 



Engl. Bot. Suppl. t. 2641. — Reenter and Schultes Systema Yegetabilium, 

 v. ii. p. 513. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 731. — Sm. Fngl. FI. v. i. p. 110. — VY'ith. 

 (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 159. — Hook. FI. Scot. p.28. — Holcus repens, Host's Gram. 

 Austr. v. iii. t. 3. — Holcus odoratus, Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1485; Flora Suecica, p. 

 363. — Poa, n. 53. Linn. flora Lapponica, (2nd ed.) p.30. 



Fig. 1. The Calyx or Glumes. — Fig. 2. The 3 Florets; n, the intermediate 

 one; ft, one of the lateral ones. — Fig. 3. Germen, Style, and Stigmas. — Fig. 4. 

 Nectary. 



* From ieros, Gr. sacred ; and chloa, or chlue, Gr. a grass; so called by 

 Gmeun, because, in some parts of the Ptussian dominions, it is dedicated to 

 the Virgin Mary, and strewed before the doors of the churches on festival 

 days ; as the Sweet flag, Acorns calamus, is in some parts of England. — 

 Dr. Hooker. 



f See Phalaris canariensis, folio 56, note f. 



