/ r y [ 1316 ]
BRIZA minor.
Sm a ll Quaking-grass-.
TRIJNDRIA Digynia.
G en. Char. Cal. of 2 valves, containing many florets.
Spikelet 2-ranked. Cor. of 2 heart-shaped, obtuse
valves. Seed depressed, attached to the corolla.
S p e c . C har. Spikelets triangular, o f seven florets, which
are shorter than the calyx. Stipula lanceolate, very
long-.
S y n . Briza minor. Linn. Sp. PI. 102. Sm. FI. Brit. 108.
Buds. 38. With. 148. Hull. 23. Dicks. H. Sice.
fa s c . 5. 3.
Gramen tremulum minus, panicula ampla, locristis
parvis triangulis. Rail Syn. 412.
O u r wild specimen represented in the plate was sent from
Pensance by favour of Mr. Penneck.
This is one of our rarest grasses, found only in fields near the
south-west extremity of Britain and in Guernsey. In the south
of Europe it occurs frequently, arid is annual, flowering in July;
Root of several small downy fibres. . Stem one or more, lO
or 12 inches high, leafy, round and smooth. Whole plant of
a light green. Leaves lanceolate, erect, rough-edged, with
very long, somewhat inflated, sheaths. Stipula membranous
and thin, remarkably long, acute, decurrent. Panicle elegantly
divaricated, very delicate, bearing numerous triangular spike-
lets, which are prettily variegated with green, white, and
sometimes purple, and tremulous from the extreme slenderness
of the little zigzag rigid stalks. Calyx protruding much
beyond the florets, its valves nearly equal, obtuse, boat-shaped,
smooth, with membranous edges. Florets like them, but
shorter, much more gibbous, and lopped at the point. Inner
glume notched, flatfish. Nectary deeply cloven. Seed orbicular,
depressed, when ripe firmly adhering to the outer valve
o f the corolla.