_Description._ Roots, annual fibrous: stems many, unequal, rather procumbent at the base, next assurgent, rising one foot at utmost; they are geniculated, slender, brittle, weak, and smooth. The knees or joints are bearded, the sheaths are split, the neck ciliated, the leaves short, stiff, rough glaucous, linear acute, obscurely striated. The panicles have few flowers, particularly the female ones, which are axillary coarctated almost hidden, while the male are terminal and divaricate: some hermaphrodite flowers are occasionally, but seldom found among both panicles; they are all similar, differing only in the want of stamina or pistils. The valves of the exterior glumes are nearly equal oblong notched obtuse, mutic and oneneroed. The valvules or valves of the glumule (corolla or interior glume) are unequal, the largest is ciliated trinerve bifid, with a soft ciliated awl in the notch, as long as the valve: the small valve is ovate acute concave, very hairy on the back. The colour of the flower is reddish or pale red; but variable. _Observations._ This plant is probably the _aira purpurea_ of Walter, Pursh, Elliott, &c. but does not belong to that genus. It was found in Carolina, but I have found it on Long-Island, near Gravesend, Bath, Oyster-Bay, &c. on the sandy and gravelly sea-shore: it grows probably in the intermediate states. It blossoms in August and September, has no particular beauty, but a very singular appearance. The specific name of _purpurea_ was improper, since the colour of the flowers is variable from whitish to red. ART. IX. _Floral Calendar, &c._ _To the Editor of the American Journal of Science, &c._ PLAINFIELD, October 17, 1818. SIR, Should the following calendar be thought worthy of a place in your Journal, you will please to insert it. Though very brief, it will show that vegetation is considerably later on the range of mountains, on which this place is situated, than in the level parts of our country. Yours truly, J. PORTER. _Floral Calendar for Plainfield, Massachusetts_, 1818. By JACOB PORTER. _March 13._ Robins and bluebirds appear. _April 25._ Claytonia in flower. A considerable part of the ground is covered with snow, which, in many places, is 2 or 3 feet deep. _April 27._ Observed the claytonia, blue violet, strawberry, and a species of sedge, in blossom, at Worthington. _May 1._ Hepatica, roundleaved violet, and erythronium in flower. _May 10._ Chrysosplenium, or golden saxifrage, in flower. _May 15._ The large trillium, or purple wakerobin, in flower. _May 18._ Uvularia, or cellwort, and white violet, in flower. _May 19._ A fall of snow, so that the ground at night was almost covered with it. _May 22._ The beautiful coptis, or goldthread, in flower. _May 25._ Ash and beech in flower. _May 26._ Sugar-maple, viburnum, threeleaved arum, blue violet, small panax, prostrate mitella, fly honeysuckle, white berried gaultheria, and umbelled Solomon's seal, in flower.