2. A. alba, stem spreading, creeping; stipula oblong, ribbed ; panicle condensed at the base of the main divisions, stalks rough; calyx-valves lanceolate, bristly at the keel; corolla rarely with Marsh Bent-grass.

a short awn.

Hab. Moist meadows and road sides. At the side of the canal below New-water Haugh, and in other inland situations, the specimens answer exactly to the description of the A. alba in Flor. Brit.; but along our shores, where it grows abundantly in wet clayey spots, the panicle is more dense, the branches being not at all spread out, a variety which constitutes the A. stolonifera of the same work. July, Aug. 2

This is the Fiorin-grass of Dr RICHARDSON, and the Irish agriculturists, but has never been cultivated to any extent in this country. To be in perfection, it requires a moist climate or a wet soil, and it grows luxuriantly in cold clays unfitted for other grasses. In light sands, and in dry situations, the produce is much inferior both as to quantity and quality.

26. AIRA.

• Corolla awnless.

1. A. cristata, panicle spiked, lanceolate; calyx longer than its flower-stalk, 'shorter than the florets; glumes all pointed. ́(A span high.) Crested Hair-grass.

Hab. Dry elevated pastures not uncommon. About Gene-
sis Gull-hole, Thomp. Links at Holy Island, Winch,
Banks beyond Spittal, and opposite Spring Gardens, &c.
July.

2. A. aquatica, panicle spreading; florets even, obtuse, longer than the calyx; leaves flat, stipula oblong; stems floating. Water Hair-grass.

Hab. Ditches and watery places not uncommon. In a ditch below Calf-Hill, Thomp. Common about Ord; Tweedmouth Fields; Banks beyond Spittal. June. 1

**Corolla awned.

3. A. cæspitosa, panicle spreading, very large; florets about the length of the calyx, abrupt, hairy at the base, one of them on a

hairy stalk; awn short, from the base of the outer valve; leaves flat; stems 3 feet high. Turfy Hair-grass.

Hab. Rough bogs and moist shady places, common. July. 2

4. A. flexuosa, panicle spreading, triple-forked, with wavy branches; florets about the length of the calyx, acute; awn from the middle of the outer valve, longer than the calyx, twisted; leaves bristle-shaped; stems 12-18 inches high. Waved Hair

grass.

Hab. Heaths and hilly places common. July.

5. A. præcox, panicle close, erect; florets the length of the calyx, both sessile; awn nearly twice as long, from the base of the valve; leaves bristle-shaped, with angular sheaths; stems 2 or 3 inches high. Early Hair-grass.

Hab. Dikes capped with earth, and barren heaths, common. May, June.

6. A. caryophyllea, panicle spreading, triple-forked, silvery grey; florets not longer than the calyx, both sessile; awn twice as long, from above the middle of the valve; leaves bristle-shaped with ribbed close sheaths; stems a span high. Silver Hairgrass.

Hab. Gravelly hills and pastures frequent. June, July.

None of the Aire are cultivated, and they contribute but little to the verdure of meadows or pastures. Some of them (2, 3, 4,) possess a considerable degree of elegance, and are often gathered for the purpose of ornamenting fire places during the summer.

27. HOLCUS.

1. H. lanatus, root fibrous; stem about 2 feet high; leaves downy on both sides; calyx wooly; lower floret perfect, awnless; upper with an arched awn. Meadow Soft-grass.

Hab. Meadows and pastures abundant, but apparently not agreeable to cattle. June, July.

2. H. mollis, root creeping; stem 2 feet high; leaves slightly downy; calyx partly naked; lower floret perfect, awnless; upper with a sharply bent prominent awn. Creeping Soft-grass.

Hab. Hedges and shady places; occasionally amongs corn. Redpath Fields, Dodd's Well, &c. Thomp. July Aug.

3. H. avenaceus, root knotty; stem 3 feet high; leaves rather harsh; calyx smooth; barren floret lowest, with a sharply bent prominent awn; fertile one slightly elevated, scarcely awned. Oat-like Soft-grass.

Hab. Sides of ditches, and in moist corn-fields: a troublesome weed in many farms in this neighbourhood. July. 2

28. MELICA.

1. M. uniflora, petals beardless; panicles branched, drooping toward one side; flowers erect; spikelet with only one perfect floret. Stem 18 inches high. Wood Melic-grass.

Hab. "Ash-wood, Belford." Thomp. June.

2. M. cœrulea, petals beardless, acute; panicle close, erect, compound; flowers upright, cylindrical. Purple Melic-grass.

Hab. Bogs, and on moors, common. Aug. Y

A hard coarse reedy grass, 1 to 2 feet high, remarkable from its purple panicle. In some parts of England brooms are made of the stems; and the fishermen in Skye make ropes of them, which they find, by experience, will bear the water well, without rotting.

29. GLYCERIA.

1. G. fuitans, panicle oblong, branched, divaricating; spikelets close-pressed; florets numerous, obtuse, seven-ribbed, with short intermediate ribs at the base; nectary obtuse, tumid. Floating Sweet-grass.

Hab. Ditches and stagnant waters, common. July, Aug.

A large thick and succulent grass, with long leaves; when not in flower, floating on the surface of the water, but the flowering stems are erect. The seeds, under the name of Manna croup, are sold in our shops, and employed occasionally as a nourishing mild diet. They are said to be very sweet, especially before arriving at maturity.

2. G. maritima, panicle branched, rather close, erect after flowering; florets about 5, somewhat pointed, slightly 5-ribbed; root creeping. Sea Sweet-grass.

Hab. (1.) Sides of the Tweed above the Bridge; shores of Holy Island, abundant. (2.) St Abb's Head, and on the sea-shore from that to Redheugh. July. 24

It appears to me that there are two very distinct varieties of this plant. When it grows in wet situations, (1.) The root is fibrous, and the foliage is large, soft, straight, and only slightly glaucous. This is well described in RAY'S Syn. 409-10, No. 6.; and is the state of it which may have induced LIGHTFOOT to believe it a variety of the G. Auitans, for, like that species, the stems, in autumn, often extend to upwards of a foot in length, and float upon the water. When, on the contrary, it grows on dry stony situations, (2.) The root becomes creeping, the leaves are rigid, generally curved, and very glaucous. HOOKER'S description is very characteristic of this state, Fl. Scot. i. 23, which is clearly the "gramen caninum maritimum paniculatum" of RAY, Syn. 410. No. 7. The species has cost me some trouble, and had it not been for the guidance of Mr WINCH, I would have considered the first as G. procumbens, and the second as the true maritima.

3. G. procumbens, panicle lanceolate, unilateral, 2-ranked, close, with rough stalks, the main one cylindrical; florets about 5, bluntish, 5-ribbed; (root fibrous, plant glaucous and rigid.) Procumbent Sweet-grass.

Hab. "Some of the larger islets (Farn Islands) are covered with vegetable mould, producing a plentiful crop of Poa (Glyceria) maritima and procumbens," P. J. SELBY, Esq. Zool. Journ. ii. 454. July, Aug. O

4. G. rigida, panicle lanceolate, unilateral, two-ranked, close, with smooth stalks, the main one bordered; florets about seven, acute, scarcely ribbed. Hard Sweet-grass.

Hab. “Heugh, Holy Island, plentiful," Thomp. June.
Y

Stems several, 3-5 inches high, peculiarly rigid and wiry, as
is also the not inelegant panicle.

30. POA.

1. P. trivialis, panicle spreading; spikelets 3-flowered; florets lanceolate, 5-ribbed, connected by a web; stipula oblong; stem and leaves roughish; root fibrous. Roughish Meadow-grass.

Hab. Meadows and pastures.

June-Oct. 2

In moist rich soils one of the most valuable grasses, whether for pasturage or hay; its produce and nutritive powers being both very great.

2. P. pratensis, panicle spreading; spikelets 4-flowered; florets lanceolate, 5-ribbed, connected by a web; stipula short and obtuse; stem and leaves smooth; root creeping. Smooth Meadowgrass.

Hab. Meadows and pastures. The P. subcærulea of Eng. Botany, a variety of the present species remarkable for the glaucous hue of its whole herbage, grows abundantly in Yarrow Haugh, and on the Farn Isles, according to my friend Dr THOMPSON. June, July.

As an object of agriculture this is not less valuable than the preceding. It is earlier in leaf, and will thrive with less moisture, but is said to exhaust the soil in a much greater degree. The roots are numerous and creeping, and become in two or three years, especially in a dry soil, so matted together, that the ingress of nourishment is hindered, and the produce gradually diminished.

3. P. annua, panicle widely spreading; spikelets ovate, 5-flowered; florets a little remote, 5-ribbed, without a web; stems oblique, compressed; root fibrous. Annual Meadow.grass.

Hab. Meadows and pastures, waste and cultivated ground, very common. April-Nov.

31. TRIODIA.

1. T. decumbens, panicle nearly simple, close, erect; florets 4, their middle tooth shortest; calyx smooth; stipula hairy. (One foot long, procumbent, flowering stem only erect; leaves linear, rigid, acuminate, hairy as well as the sheaths.) Decumbent Heathgrass.

Hab. Dry mountain pastures, frequent. Sea-banks from the Burgesses' Cove northward; banks beyond Spittal; Murton Craigs, Thomp. July.