Festuca fluitans. Flote Fescue Grass. 
FESTUCA Limuei Gtn. Pl. Triandria Digynia: 
Raii Gen. 27. Herb* Graminifoli* flore imperfecto cclmifer*. 
FESTUCA panicula ramofa ereBa, fpiculis fubfeffilibus, teretibus muticis, Limuti Syjl. Fegetai. f. lot. 
Fl. Suecic . p. 32. 
POA locuffis teretibus multifloris, glumis floralibus exterioribus truncatis, interioribus bifidis. Hatter, bj/ 1 . f. 
219. n. 1453. v ‘ 2 * 
POA fluitans. Scopoli Fl. Carniol. p. 73. 
GRAMEN aquaticum fluitans, multiplici fpica. Batihin Pin. 2. 
GRAMEN aquaticum cum longiffima panicula. I. Bauhin. II. 490. Raii Syn. p. 412. FIote-Grafs. 
GRAMEN fluviatile. Gerard emac. 14. Parkinfin. 1275. Hudfon. Fl. Angi. f. 38. Order. F/. Ban. 1 . 237. 
Schreber. Gram. tab. 3. Stdlingfleet. mif tab. 10. 
RADIX perennis, in limum profunde penetrans. 
CULMUS pro ratione loci pedalis ad tripedalem, bafi 
repens furculofque promens, dein fubereCtus, 
vaginis foliorum ad paniculam ufque amiCtus. 
VAGINiE foliorum compreflie, fubancipites, ftriatas. 
FOLIA latiufcula, lasvia ; furculorum ereCta, carinata 
brCviufcula, caulina longiora, planiulcula, flac- 
cida, aquis tempore hyberno proftrata. 
PANICULA longa, inclinata, nonnunquam fubfpicata 
faepius vero ramofa, ramis nunc cauli adpreflis 
nunc diftantibus, ut pinxit Cl: Schreberus- 
SPICULiE tenues, teretes, unciales aut fefquicunciales 
9 ad 12 florae, rachi adpreflie. 
CALYX : Gluma bivalvis, valvulis inaequalibus, mem- 
branaceis. fig. 2. 
COROLLA bivalvis, valvulae longitudine aequales, ca- 
lyce majores, inferiore majore, concava, lineata, 
nervis apice faepe coloratis, apice membranacea, 
obtufiufcula, laepius erofa ; fuperiori lanceoiata, 
comprefla, bicufpidata. fg. 3. 4. 
STAMINA : Filamenta tria capillaria, Anther* 
flavae aut purpuraicentes, oblongas,^. 5. 
PISTILLUM : Germen ovatum, Styli duo fubulati, 
reflexi, Stigmata ramofiflima. fg. 7. 6. 8. 
NECTARIUM Glandula fquamiformis, cordata, hori- 
zontalis, ad bafin germinis, fg. 9. 
SEMEN oblongum, nitidum olivaceum, bicornicula- 
tum, nudum, fg. 10. 11. 
FIG 12 Spicula morbo Ergot affecta. 
ROOT perennial, ftxiking deep into the mud. 
STALK according to its place of growth from one to 
three feet in length, creeping at bottom- and 
fending forth young fhoots, afterwards nearly 
upright ; covered with the fheaths of the leaves 
as far as the panicle. 
SHEATHS of the leaves, flattened, two edged - , and 
floated. 
LEAVES rather broad and fmooth, thofe of the young: 
fhoots upright, keel-fhaped, and fhortifh ; thole 
of the ftalk longer, flattifh, weak, and hanging 
down, in the winter feafon lying flat on the 
water. 
PANICLE long, generally inclined or bending down a 
little, iometimes forming a kind of fpike, but 
moft commonly branched ; the branches fome- 
times prefled to the flalk, fometimes diverging 
from it in the manner reprefented by Schreber. 
SPICULE flender, round, an inch or an inch and a 
half long, producing from 9 to 1 2 flowers, 
prefled to the Stalk. 
CALYX : a Glume of two valves, which are unequal 
and membranous, fg. 2. 
COROLLA of two valves, which are of an equal length 
and bigger than the Calyx, the lower valve 
largeft, concave and nervous, the nerves to- 
wards the top frequently coloured, at top mem- 
branous, rather blunt with uneven points, the 
upper valve more pointed, flat and bifid, fg. 3.4. 
STAMINA : three Filaments veryflender, Anther.e 
oblong and yellow or purplifh. fg. 5. 
PISTILLUM : Germen oval, Styles two, tapering and 
bending back, Stigmata very much branch- 
ed. fg. 7. 6. 8. 
NECTARY a fmall heart-fhaped fquamiform gland, 
placed horizontally at the bottom of the 
Germen, fg. 9. 
SEED oblong, fhining, of an olive colour, with two 
little horns, and naked, fg. 10. 1 1. 
FIQ 12 a Spicula affected with the difeafe called Ergot. 
IN fpeaking of the Bromus mollis , we had occafion to remark the very great variety of appearance to which th* 
Grafles were fubjeCt from foil and fituation, and this obfervation is equally applicable to the Fefiuc a fluitans. 
This Grafs appears to thrive beft in flill waters, or gently running ftreams, where its numerous fibres penetrate 
eafily into the mud ; in fuch fituations it becomes very luxuriant, the leaves are large, tender and fweet, and the 
Panicle becomes very much branched ; but in Meadows where it is deprived of its natural quantity of water, 
it becomes in every refpeCt lefs, and the Panicle is frequently changed to a Ample fpike ; when it has nearly- 
done flowering, the branches of the Panicle generally projeCt from the main ftalk fo . as to form an acute angle. 
In every fituation whether the Panicle be large, or fmall, the Spiculas are always prefled clofe to the ftalk or bran- 
ches of the Panicle, and this circumftance joined to the length, and roundnefs of the Spiculze, fufficiently cha- 
racterize this fpecies ; if it fhould not however, its parts of fructification afford at once a moft plcafing and 
fatisfaCtory diftinCtion, vid. fg. 6. 9. 10. 
We, 
