JO J l 5*9 ]
P H L E U M alpinum.
A lp in e Cat's-tail Grafs.
- T R I A N D R 1 A Digynht.
Gen. Char. Cal. two-valved, abrupt, pointed, feffile,
longer than the corolla, tingle flowered.
Spec. Char. Spike ovato-cylindrical. Ariftae about
as long as the glumes.
Syn. Phleum alpinum. Linn. Sj>. PI. 88. Dickf. Tr.
o f Linn. Soc. v. z . 288. With. 1 19 . F l. Dan.
t. 213.
F i r s t diicovered by Mr. Dickfon on mountains near
Garway Moor, Scotland, from whence Mr. Don and Mr.
Mackay have favoured us with fpecimens. It is a truly alpine
grafs, making the principal part of the turf in the mod elevated
paftures of Switzerland, and probably is to be found in limilar
fituations in more parts than one of our ifland. It is perennial,
and flowers about the end of July.
The root is inclined to be creeping, and a little tuberous.
Stem moftly folitary, Ample, afcending, about a foot or more
in height 5 leafy below; naked, fmooth, ftriated and very
ftraight above. Leaves broadilh, fharp-pointed, rough in the
margin. Stipulae very fhort, but triangular, and lefs abrupt
than in the common Phleum pratenfe. The fheaths of the
upper leaves are inflated, and longer than the leaves them-
felves. Spikes fcarcely an inch long, ovate, or nearly cylindrical,
obtufe, tinged with dull purple, of which hue the Itraw,
and Iheaths of the leaves, moftly partake. The glumes of the
calyx are ciliated with long hairs, and are a little divaricated;
their keel is green. The ariftx which terminate them being
almoft, if not quite, 'as long as the glumes, diftinguifh this
fpecies from the pratenfe. The cprolla conflfts of two unequal
valves, of which the largeft is ribbed and bearded.
SJ(j