AGROSTIS littoral!».
Seaside Bent-grass.
TRIANDRIA Digynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. of 2 acute valves, single-flowered.
Cor. of 2 unequal membranous valves. Stigmas
feathery..
S p e c . C h a r . Calyx-glumes linear-lanceolate, awned.
Corolla smooth, with a straight nearly terminal awn.
Stems decumbent.
Syn. Agrostis littoralis. Sm. FI. Brit. 7 8 . With. 129 ?
Hull. 1 8 ? Hicks. H. Sicc.fasc. 16. 1.
T h TS curious Agrostis, distinguished from all other British
species by its awned calyx, was first found in salt marshes near
Cley, Norfolk, by the Rev. Mr. Bryant, in company with
Mr. Rose and others, so long ago as August 1777. It was
sent to Sir J. Banks and Dr. Solander, the latter o f whom
described and named it. Some of the original specimens are
now before me; but that in the annexed plate was gathered by
Mr. George Jackson, in August 1803, near the powder magazine
4 miles from Woolwich. Mr. Dickson found the same
on the Essex coast. Dr. Withering has been very unfortunate
in his information respecting this plant, and has figured and
described for it the Phleum crinitum of FI. Brit, which some
person appears to have sent him from Wells.
The root is perennial, creeping and branched. Stems decumbent
at their base, with bent joints, leafy, a little branched,
smooth. Leaves sharp-pointed, flat, roughish. Stipula lanceolate,
entire, slightly downy. Panicle erect, dense, branched
and lobed. Flower-stalks rough, capillary, erect. Calyx-
glumes nearly equal, linear-lanceolate, obtuse and notched,
rough on the edges and keel, purplish upward, each terminating
in a straight rough awn, scarcely so long as the glume
itself. Corolla of two membranous, notched, nearly equal
valves, much shorter than the calyx, the outermost tipped
with a straight awn, various in length. The gennen is accompanied
by the cloven membranous glume, found in most
grasses, and called by Linnaeus a nectary.