15. PHIPPSIA. Br.
1. P . algida. Br. in Boss’ Voy. ed. 3. v. p. ]9I. Br. in Parry’s u t. Voy. App. p. 185.
Book, in Parry’s 3d Voy.—Agrostis. Soiarul. in Phipps’ Voy.— Wahl. Vilfa algida. Trin. Ic, t. 83. Lapp. p. 25 t 1 —
H ab. Melville and other arctic islands. Parry. Greenland. Phipps. Homemann.
2. P . monandra. Trin. in N. Entdek. 2. p. 37.—Vilfa. Trin. Ic. t. 84. Hook, et Am.
in Bot. o f Beech. Voy. p. 132.—Phippsia algida. /3. monandra. Ktk.
H ab. Tschutki. Nelson. Kotzebue’s Sound and Bay of St Lawrence. Chamisso. Beechey.
16. COLPODIUM. Trin.
1. C. latifolium. Br. in Boss’ Voy. B r. in Parry’s 1st Voy. App. p. 186. Hook, in
Parry’s 2d Voy. App. p. 28. cum Ic.
H ab. Arctic sea-coast and islands. B r Richardson. Parry.
3. C. arundinaceum—Vilfa, Trin. Diss— Gram. Ic. t. 55. Book, et Am. in Bot. of
Beech. Voy. p. 131.—:Colpodium latifolium /3. Kth.
H ab. Kotzebue's Sound. Beechey. Cumberland House Fort, and Hudson’s Bay. Drummond. Bear
Lake to the shores of the Arctic Sea. D r Richardson.— OS this little known grass, Dr Richardson has the
following description in his notes made on the recent plant—“ Calyx of 2 unequal yalres, which are ovato-
lanceolate, boat-shaped, concave, scarcely acuminate, compressed, quite smooth and entire, reddish-brown
and shining; smaller valve half the size of the other. Corolla of 2 nearly equal valves, of similar colour and
consistence with the calyx, equal to, or-rather longer than the larger valve of the calyx ; its outer valve em-
bracing the inner, and a little longer: both obtuse, compressed, serrulated at the keel, otherwise smooth,
somewhat membranaceous at the margin and edges, and there entire. Stamens 3. Styles 2 ? perhaps united.
Stigmas plumose, branching ? Seed loose. This seed appears to be oblong, and there are 2 or 3 lanceolate,
pointed membranaceous scales.-I should be disposed to refer it to Cmna, if it had only one stamen
and one style ; as it is, it possesses all the characters of Vilfa or Colpodium.”
3. C. pauciflorum ; panicula erecta spicaeformi angusta pauciflora, gluma perianthium
superante uniflora cum rudimento pedicellato, valvis subaequantibus acutissimis carina
superne prascipue aspera unifloris, perianthio obtuso valvis apice dorso marginibusque as-
perulis, foliis lineari-acuminatis subrigidis siccitate complicatis vel marginibus involutis.
H ab. Between Fort William and Cumberland House Fort. Dr Richardson.— Smaller and much slenderer
than C. latifolium, with a very narrow few-flowered panicle, the floret of a much paler and greener hue, the
glumes sharper and constantly longer than the perianth ; and there is always a distinct but abortive pedicellate
floret present, arising from the base of the inner valve of the perfect one.
17. VILFA. Beauv.
1. V. cuspidata (Torr. mst.); culm is numerosis gracilibus vaginisque glabris, foliis
subdistichis angustis involutis tenuissime elongatis, paniculis elongatis angustissimis ex-
sertis, glumis subasqualibus acutissimis carina scabris unifloris absque rudimento, pe-
rianthii exserti valvula exteriori paululum longiore trinervi cuspidata.
H ab. Banks of the Saskatchewan, near the Rocky Mountains. Drummond. Plains of the Red River.
Douglas.—Mr Drummond’s specimens are named V cuspidata by Dr Torrey, and considered by him a new
species. Its nearest affinity is with V. vaginiflora, Torr. (in Gray, Gram, et Cyp. Part I. n. Z.) and P .
involuta, Torr. (« Gray, Gram, et Cyp. 1. c. n. 4.); the foliage and habit bearing a considerable resemblance,
but the panicle is much elougated, the flowers smaller, more rigid, and considerably different in structure.—
V. clandestina (Spr., and Torr. FI. p. 90), agrees with this in so many respects, that I am not sure that
they are really distinct; but my authentic specimens of T. clandestina are in a very imperfect state.
2 . Vi tenacissima. H .B .K .— Trin. Gram. Ic. t. 60. Sporobolus. Beauv.—Agrostis.
Jacq. (S.fuscicolor ; paniculee ramis longioribus glumis valde inasqualibus.
H ab. H Common on Menzies’ Island, N. W. America, and on the higher parts of the Columbia River.
—There is only one specimen of this plant, which may probably prove distinct from that to which I have
referred it. The culms and foliage sufficiently accord, however, and the panicle is very similar; but the
branches are longer, the flowers rather larger, more deeply coloured and brown, and the valves of the calyx
(or glume) very unequal. Indeed in the United States specimens of the true V. tenacissima, I find the calyx
valves much more unequal than is represented in the figure of Trinius, or described in Dr Torrey’s Flora.
18. AGROSTIS. L.
dor1s.o Ase. taiglbear.a .L . NeEe.s .B iont .H t.e r1b1,8 n9o.—strP. h.— Torr. FI. p. 85.—var ? valvula flosculi e medio
H ab. var. Moist ground and banks of streams near the confluence of the Columbia River. Douglas.—
Certainly this plant has so exactly the appearance of our well-known Agrostis alba, that we hardly dare
venture to consider it distinct, although the back of the valve of the corolla constantly bears a slender awn
rather longer than the flower, and very conspicuous. The valves of the glumes too are very rough on the
keel.—The European A. alba has sometimes a short awn from the corolla.
2. A. vulgaris. Sm. E. Bot. t. 1671.—Ph.— Torr. Fl.p. 85.—A. polymorpha. Huds. - Gray, Gram, et Cyp. Part II. n. 108.
H ab. Common on banks of streams, N . W. Coast. Douglas. Observatory Inlet. Dr Scouler.
3. A. exarata (Trin.); radice fibrosa, culmis erectis simplicibus vaginisque sulcato-
striatis et glabris, foliis linearibus acuminatis planis retrorsum scabris, panicula ramosa
erecta contracta, ramis semiverticillatis adpresso-erectis hispidis, glumis acuminatis
carina denticulatis florem muticum duplo superantibus, superiore paulo breviore. Trin.
Gram. Unifl. 205. Ejusd. Ic. t. 27. Bong. Veg. de Sitcha, p. 52.—0. minor; perianthio
univalvi. A. Drummondi. Torrey, mst.
H ab. Unalaschka. Chamisso. Sitcha. Bongard.—&. Valleys of the Rocky Mountains, on the east and
on the west side of the dividing ridge. Drummond. Douglas.—The var. /3. is probably a distinct species ;
but knowing how sportive are the flowers of several species of Agrostis, I prefer considering it a var. of A.