A I R A aquatica.
Water Hair-grass.
TRIANDRIA Digynia.
G en. Char. Cal. of 2 valves, 2-flowered. Cor. of 2
valves. Florets without any imperfect one between
them.
Spec. Char. Panicle spreading. Flowers awnless,
smooth, obtuse, longer than the calyx. Leaves
flat.
Syn. Aira aquatica. Linn. Sp. PL 95. Sm. F l. Brit. 84.
B uds.33. With. 135. Hull.20. Relh.28. Sibth. 38.
Abbot. 15. Curt. Land. fasc. 1. t. 5. Knapp,
t. 29. Ehrh. Cal. 4.
Poa dulcis. Salisb. Prod. 20.
Gramen miliaceum aquaticum. Raii Syn. 402.
F R E Q U E N T in ditches and about the margins of ponds and
rivers, flowering in May or June.
The root is creeping, perennial, with long white shining
fibres, throwing up very long, branched, leafy stems which
float upon the water, their long flaccid linear leaves being,
many o f them, closely applied to its surface, as in Poa fluitans,
t. 1520. The flowering part of the stem is erect, ending in a
large, spreading, smooth, purple panicle, with a stoutish main
stem, and numerous, unequal, slender, half-whorled branches.
Calyx-leaves unequal, purple, much dilated upwards, notched
or angular, one or both furnished with 3 ribs. Florets longer
than the calyx, one of them on a stalk. Their glumes equal,
obtuse; the outer ones 3-ribbed and somewhat plaited, smooth,
beardless; the inner with 2 very prominent ribs or angles.
Antherse large, deep yellow. The flowers abound with
honey.
A dwarf upright variety, not 3 inches high, was sent us
from Park-gate, Cheshire, by the Rev. T. Gisborne.