Localities. — In muddy salt-marshes, on tlie East and South-east coasts of 
England. — Essex; At Crixey Ferry: Merrett. In marshes on the liver 
NVallfleet, near Fambridge Ferry in Oengey Hundred: Mr. Buddie. — Hants; 
Between Southampton and Millbrook: N. J. Winch, Esq. On the banks of 
the Southampton river by high water mark, in great plenty: Sir J. Banks. 
Near Southampton : 1836, Mr. T. W. Weaver. — Kent; About the mouths of 
rivers, and plentiful in Sheppy Isle : Enyl. FI. Near the mouth of Faversham 
Creek: J. Sherard, Esq. and Cql. Velley. — Suffolk; At Aldborough, 
abundantly, about the Quay, and along the river-side and salt ditches, also 
about the Light-houses, and more sparingly N. of tire town in the mere: Rev. 
G. Crabbe. It covers acres, and forms the whole crop about Aldborough, and 
Orford: Mr. Woodward. — Sussex; Local in West Sussex : il$v. G. E. Smith, 
in New Bot. Guide. 
Perennial. — Flowers from July to September. 
Root creeping, with strong fibres. Culms ( stems ) from 6 in- 
ches to a foot or more high, upright, round, smooth, jointed, sim- 
ple, leafy. Leaves several, straight, spreading, smooth, striated, 
stiff, taper-pointed, of a dull green, their edges rolled in when dry. 
Sheaths striated, smooth, very long, investing each other far above 
their respective knots, and concealing the culm to within an inch 
or two of the top. Stipula (ligula) (see fig. 4.) short and jagged. 
Spihes 2, sometimes 3, as in the specimen now before me, 3 or 4 in- 
ches long, and rising just above the short uppermost leaf, upright, 
straight, close together. Common-stalk (rachisj simple, angular, 
a little zigzag, with a linear hollow to receive each spikelet, but not 
jointed. Spikelets 1-flowered, imbricated, in 2 rows, lateral, spear- 
shaped. Glumes unequal, more or less downy or silky, outer 
narrow, and pointed ; inner much broader and longer ; somewhat 
membranous, with a slightly hispid keel, cloven at the top, with a 
short intermediate point. Palece ( valves of the corolla] less downy 
than the glumes of the calyx, pointed, entire, and finely striated. 
Nectary none. Anthers projecting. Germen spear-shaped. Styles 
united at the bottom. Stigmas feathery, slender, prominent. Seed 
oblong, compressed. 
The whole plant is hard, tough and rigid, and often of a dark 
reddish, or blackish hue, by which patches of it may frequently be 
distinguished at a considerable distance. Its rariety makes it an 
interesting plant to the Botanist; but to the Agriculturist it is of 
no estimation. It appears that Linnaeus confounded this species 
with his Dactylis (Spartina ) cynosuroides, a native of America, 
and a very different grass from this, growing to a much greater 
size, and, in a cultivated state, attaining to the height of five feet, 
or more ; and bearing a large panicle of numerous spikes, whose 
flowers are much more crowded than in Spartina stricta. 
I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. T. W. Weaver, gardener 
to the Rev. the Warden of Winchester College, for the specimen 
from which the drawing for the annexed plate was made ; and 
also for plants of Salicornia herbdcea ; Poa procumhens ; Poa 
mar'itima; Clienopddium maritimum ; Stdtice limdnium, (t. 183) ; 
and Aster tripolium ; all, I believe, collected by him in the vicinity 
of Southampton, about July last. 
