SETA'RIA*.

Linnean Class and Order. TRIA'NDRIA†, DIGY'NIA.

Natural Order. GRAMINEE, Juss. Gen. Pl p. 28.—Sm. Gram. of Bot. p. 68.; Engl. Fl. v. i. p. 71.-Lindl. Syn. p. 293.; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 292.-Rich. by Macgilliv. p. 393. Loud. Hort. Brit. p.542.-GRAMINA, Linn.-GRAMINA'LES; sect. PANICINE; type, MILIACEE; Burn. Outl. of Bot. v. i. pp. 359 & 366.

GEN. CHAR. Panicle in a dense, cylindrical spike. Involucrum of many bristles surrounding 2 spikelets. Calyx (fig. 2.) imperfectly 2-flowered, of 2 unequal glumes (valves), the lower the smallest. Corolla of fertile or perfect floret, (see f. 4.) of 2 equal, cartilaginous palea (valves); that of the neuter or imperfect one (see fig. 4.) of 1 or 2 palea or valves; the upper smaller and membranous, often wanting. Filaments (see fig. 4.) 3, hair-like, as long as the corolla. Anthers short, cloven at each end. Germen (see fig. 5.) egg-shaped. Styles (see fig. 5.) distinct, awl-shaped, as long as the stamens. Stigmas feathery, tufted, short. Seed (fig. 7.) egg-shaped, flatted on one side, coated with the ribbed hardened corolla (see fig. 6).

The dense, cylindrical, spike-like panicle; the bristly involucrum, including 2 or 3 flowers; and the calyx of 2 very unequal glumes, containing 2 florets, one of which is destitute of stamens and pistils; will distinguish this from other genera in the same

class and order.

The bristly involucrum (fig. 2.) will distinguish it from Panicum. Two species British.

SETA'RIA VERTICILLA'TA. Whorled Bristle-grass. Rough Bristle-grass.

SPEC. CHAR. Panicle spiked, cylindrical, lobed below, branches whorled; bristles of the involucrum rough with reversed teeth. Paleæ of the perfect floret slightly uneven.

Beauvois' Agrostographie.-Gray's Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 156.-Lindl. Syn. p. 309.-Hook. Brit. Fl. p.39.-Panicum verticillatum, Engl. Bot. t. 874.-Curt. Fl. Lond. t. 260.-Knapp's Gram. Brit. t. 9.-Host. Gram. Austr. v. ii. p. 11. t. 13.-Graves' Brit. Gr. t. 10.-Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 82.-Huds. Fl. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 24.-Sm. Fl. Brit. v. i. p. 64. Engl. Fl. v. i. p. 98.-With. (7th ed.) v. ii. 143.-Ait. Hort. Kew. (1st ed.) v. i. p. 88 and (2nd ed.) v. i. p. 139.-Winch's Fl. of North. and Durham, p. 5.-Pamplin's Catal of Pl. of Battersea, p. 4.Gramen paniceum, spica aspera, Ray's Syn. p. 394.—Gramen geniculatum, Johnson's Gerarde, p. 15.

LOCALITIES. In moist cultivated fields: Very rare.-Durham; On Sunderland Ballast Hills: Mr. WEIGHELL.-Middlesex; Cultivated fields about London, probably not indigenous: Sir W. J. HOOKER. About the banks of the Thames, between London and Putney, in several places; also beyond the neat

Fig. 1. One of the branches of the Panicle, with the bristly Involucrums.Fig. 2. The 2 Glumes of the Calyx, subtended by the bristly, toothed Involucrum.-Fig. 3. Involucrum and its 2 Florets.-Fig. 4. The 2 Florets divested of the Calyx.-Fig. 5. The Germen, Styles, and Stigmas.-Fig. 6. A seed invested by the permanent Corolla.-Fig. 7. A seed without the corolla.-Fig. 8. The top of a sheath to show the hairy stipula.-Figs. 2, 4, and 5, more or less magnified.

From seta, a bristle; from the bristly involucrum. The true Millets belong to this genus, which is the same with that of Pennisetum of Dr. R. BROWN. + See Phalaris canariensis, folio 56, note t

houses by the Thames side going from the horse-ferry above Westminster to Chelsea Mr. NEWTON, in Ray's Syn.- Norfolk; cultivated fields about Norwich Sir J. E. SMITH. Field out of St. Giles's Gate, Norwich: ibid. —Surrey; In Battersea Fields: Sir J. E. SMITH, and Mr. W. PAMPLIN, jun.Worcestersh. Near Stourbridge? (Scorr): Mr. E. LEES, in New Bot. Guide. Annual.-Flowers in July and August.

Root fibrous. Culms (stems) one or more, from 6 inches to 3 feet high, simple, sometimes branched, spreading, jointed, leafy, striated, angular, rough at the top. Leaves strap-spear-shaped, taper pointed, harsh on both sides, very rough on the margins, which are beset with very small transparent teeth, which point towards their summits, and which are readily perceived if the finger and thumb are drawn gently from the summit towards the base of the leaf. Sheath (vagina long, striated, smooth, sometimes compressed. Stipula (ligula) (see fig. 8.) of numerous short hairs, which are continued a little way down the margins of the sheath. Panicle in the form of a spike, compound, from 2 to 4 inches long, upright, somewhat lobed, the branches short, about 4 in a whorl, lower whorls more distant, each branch of several flowers, every pair of which (fig. 3.) is accompanied by about 2 channelled, angular bristles (see fig. 2.), longer than the whole branch, and rough with minute teeth, which point downwards, Flowers (see figs. 3 & 4.) generally in pairs, egg-shaped, one only being perfect, the other generally destitute of both stamens and pistils; each inserted into a little terminal disk or cup, close to the bristles (see fig. 1). Calyx (fig. 2.) pale, with green ribs, smooth, even. Corolla (fig. 4.) almost as large as the calyx; palea very minutely wrinkled, or dotted, at least in the perfect floret, and constituting a riged shining coat to the seed, enclosed in the permanent, but loose and unaltered, larger glume of the calyx.

This is nearly allied to the other British species (Setária viridis), with which it is often found growing, and when in a dwarf state greatly resembles it, but may be readily distinguished from that by the minute teeth on the bristles of the involucrum pointing backwards, so that the panicle drawn over the back of the hand or the cuff of the coat adheres very strongly; and when several panicles grow near each other, they are very apt, from this cause, to become entangled.

It is subject to considerable variation in the colour of its leaves and panicles; in some soils and situations, the foliage as well as the panicle being strongly tinged with red.

It is indigenous in Europe, the Levant, and Japan; but is considered to be a rather doubtful native of Britain, being generally found here in cultivated fields and garden grounds.

The seeds are greedily devoured by small birds; but the produce of herbage is so small that it is beneath the notice of the Agriculturist. WITHERING says, that in Japan the flour of this plant is made into cakes.

LIMOSELLA*.

+

Linnean Class and Order. DIDYNA'MIA†, ANGIOSPERMIA . 4 Natural Order. SCROPHULARI'NEES, Dr. R. Brown.-Lindl. Syn. p. 187.; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 228.-SCROPHULA'RINE, Rich. by Macgilliv. p. 434.-Sm. Engl. Fl. v. iii. p. 115.Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 528.-SCROPHULA'RIÆ, Sm. Gram. of Bot. p. 100.-LYSIMACHIE, Juss. Gen. Pl. p. 95.-Sm. Gr. of Bot. p. 95.SYRINGALES; subord. PRIMULOSE; sect. MENTHINE; type, SCROPHULARIA'CEE; Burn. Outl. of Bot. pp. 900, 958, & 978.

GEN. CHAR. Calyx (fig. 1.) inferior, of 1 sepal, in 5 spearshaped, pointed, upright, nearly equal segments, permanent. Corolla (figs. 2 & 3.) of 1 petal, somewhat bell-shaped; tube (fig. 2, a.) cylindrical, the length of the calyx; limb (fig. 2, b.) in 5 deep, egg-shaped, spreading, slightly unequal segments, the 2 uppermost concave, lower one smallest. Filaments (see fig. 3.) 4, from the mouth of the tube, awl-shaped, almost equal, shorter than the limb, sheltered by its 2 upper segments, but spreading slightly laterally, and converging in pairs. Anthers roundish, of 2 lobes. Germen (fig. 4.) egg-shaped, blunt. Style tapering, short. Stigma capitate, globose, cloven. Capsule (fig. 5.) egg-shaped, of 2 cells, and 2 valves, the partitions | narrow, from the inflexed margins of the valves. Seeds (figs. 8 & 9.) numerous, oblong, furrowed, transversely wrinkled, attached to a large, egg-shaped, central receptacle or placenta, (see figs. 6 & 7).

The 5-cleft calyx; the bell-shaped, nearly equal corolla; and the globose, imperfectly 2-celled, 2-valved capsule; will distinguish this from other genera in the same class and order.

One species British.

LIMOSE'LLA AQUA'TICA. Water Mudwort. Common Mudwort. Plantain Mudweed. False Plantain.

SPEC. CHAR. Leaves spear-shaped, somewhat spatulate; their stalks (petioles) twice as long as the flower-stalks.

Engl. Bot. t. 357.-Hook. Fl. Lond. t. 62.-Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 881.-Huds. Fl. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 276.-Sm. Fl. Brit. v. ii. p. 668. Engl. Fl. v. iii. p. 145.With. (7th ed.) v. iii. p. 742.-Gray's Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 319.-Lindl. Syn. p. 192.-Hook. Br. Fl. p. 289.-Lightf. Fl. Scot. v. i. p. 331.-Sibth. Fl. Oxon. p. 197.-Abbot's Fl. Bedf. p. 139.-Purt. Midl. Fl. v. i. p. 294. and v. iii. p. 366.— Relh. Fl. Cantab. (3rd ed.) p. 256.—Ait. Hort. Kew. (1st ed.) v. ii. p. 359. and (2nd ed.) v. iv. p. 51.-Hook. Fl. Scot. p. 190.-Winch's Fl. of Northumb. and Durhani, p. 42.-Walk. Fl. of Oxf. p. 181.-Perry's Pl. Varv. Selectæ, p. 53.Mack. Catal. of Pl. of Irel. p. 59. The Irish Flora, p. 125.-Plantaginella palustris, Ray's Syn. p. 278.-Plantago aquatica minima clusii, Park. Theatr. Bot. p. 1244. n. 4.-Blackst. Spec. Bot. p. 74.

Fig. 1. Calyx.-Fig. 2. Corolla; a, the tube; b. the limb.-Fig. 3. Corolla opened vertically to show the two pairs of stamens.-Fig. 4. Germen, Style, and Stigma. Fig. 5. The Capsule.-Fig. 6. The same after the seeds are discharged, showing the two valves, and the central placenta. Fig. 7. A Capsule divided transversely.-Fig. 8. The Seeds.-Fig. 9. A single ditto.-All, except fig. 8, more or less magnified.

See folio 72, note ‡.

*From limus, mud; the plant growing in muddy places. HOOKER. + See folio 31, note t. See folio 50, a. The partitions, at first connected with the receptacle, separate from it as the capsule advances to maturity, so that the latter finally consists of but one cell: which is the case in verbascum, and more or less with many other seedvessels similarly constructed. Sir J. E. SMITH.