/ / A [ 1704 ]
A G R O S T I S panicea.
Bearded Bent-grass.
TRIANDRIA Digynia.
G en. C har. Cal. of 2 acute valves, single-flowered.
Cor. of 2 unequal membranous valves. ’Stigmas
feathery.
Spec. C har. Panicle spiked, dense, lobed and subdivided.
Calyx-valves linear-lanceolate, rough, with
long capillary awns. Corolla with a terminal awn.
Stem upright. Root fibrous.
S yn. Agrostis panicea. Ait. Hort. Kew. v. 1 . 94.
A . -triaristata. Knapp, t. 23.
Phleum crinitum. Schreb. Gram. 151. t. 20. f . 3. Sm.
FI. Brii. 71. Sm. Prodr. Fl. Græc. Siblh. v. 1. 42.
Alopecurus aristatus. Huds. 28.
A . monspeliensis et paniceus. Linn. Sp. PI. 89, 90.
With. 121 . Hull. 16, 17.
A . maxima anglica. Raii Syn. 396.
I f any department of botany requires circumspection and
frequent revision and correction, the genera of grasses are in
that predicament, I submit to the opinion o f Mr. Knapp,
•which was originally that of the great Solander, founded on
the habit of this grassland strengthened by the analogy of
Agrostis littoralis, v. 18. t, 1251, in removing it from Phleum
to that genus, and have hinted at the propriety of this measure
in the Prodromus FI. Grcecce just published. I cannot however
adopt a new specific name, which applies equally well to
A . littoralis, when a better is already in print in the Hortus
Kewensis.-
_ A . panicea occurs here and there in moist maritime situations.
It was sent us from the riorthern coast of Norfolk by
Mr. W . Borrer. It is annual, flowering late in the autumn,
and varies much in size according to accidental circumstances.
Hence Linnaeus has described it twice over. The root is small
and fibrous. Stems one or more, upright or ascending, very
smooth, leafy. Leaves rough-edged, with long smooth sheaths.
Stipula oblong, rough at the back. Panicle pale, dense,
lobed and branched, of innumerable flowers, the long shining
rough awns of whose calyx-valves give the whole a peculiar
silky appearance. The awn of the corolla is much shorter.
The calyx-valves, though acute, are cloven, owing to the
insertion o f the awns.