o
[ 29° 1 *)
N A R D U S ftri&a.
Mat-grafs.
T R U N D R I A Monogynia.
G en. C har. Cal. none. Corolla of 2 valves.
S pe c. C har. Spike flender, ereft, the flowers all pointing
one way.
Sy n . Nardus ftri&a. Linn. Sp. P i. 77. Hudf. Ft.
yin. 22. JFith. Bot. Arr. 34- Roth. Cant. 21^
Sibth. Ox. 33.
Gramen fparteum juncifolium. Rail Syn. 393*
T h i s g ra fs m a y b e o b fe rv ed on fa n d y h e a th s h i m o ft p a r ts
o f E n g la n d , e fp e c ia lly in m o ift o r m o o r ilh fpots,_ w h e r e it
fo rm s th ic k tu fts o f r ig id ru fh - lik e le a v e s , w h ic h rem a in th ro u g h
w in t e r
_____bleaching in the northern blaft.”
T h e ro o ts a re p e r e n n ia l, fib ro u s , ft ro n g and d o w n y . L e a v e s
lin e a r , v e r y n a r row , a c u te , ft r ia te d , ro u g h in th e m a rg in , v e r y
h a r fh and r ig id , fu d d e n ly d iv a r ic a t in g from th e ir b ro ad th ea th -
in g ft r ia ted b a fe , w h ic h en v e lo p s th e b o t tom o f th e fta lk , and
is i t f e l f e n v e lo p ed w i th fc a le s e x te rn a lly , and c row n e d a t th e
d iv a r ic a t io n w ith th e u fu a l ft ip u la o f gra ffes . E a ch fta lk iu p -
p o r ts on e le a f , and is e r e f t , ft r ia te d , r o u g h , o f the fam e te x tu r e
an d h a r lh n e fs as th e le a v e s , and a lit t le lo n g e r , b e a r in g a v e r y
{ len de r fp ik e o f e q u a lly flen d e r flow e r s , a lte rn a te ly p la c ed in
tw o r o w s , b u t a ll p o in t in g on e w a y , th o u g h v e r y lit t le d iv a n -
c a te d a t a n y t im e from th e fta lk , and b o th b e fo r e and a i t e f
flo w e r in g c la p p ed c lo fe to it. V a lv e s o f th e c a ly x u n eq u a l in
le n g th , p u rp lilh and r o u g h in th e m a rg in . F ilam e n t s a lit t le
e x c e e d in g the lo n g e ft v a lv e , t ip p ed w ith n e a r ly lin e a r antherse.
G e rm e n fm a ll . S ty le fo l ita r y , fle n d e r , d ow n y . .
T h e M a t -g r a f s flow e r s in M a y , J u n e o r la te r . O l its a g r ic
u ltu r a l u fe s lit t le c an b e fa id , fo r c a tt le in g en e ra l r e fu te it *
an d th o u g h m a ts o r b a lk e ts m ig h t b e made o'f i t , w e are fu p p lied
f r om S p a in w i th b e t te r g ra fle s fo r th o fe p u rp o fe s , p a r t icu la r ly
Stipa tenacijjimar