614 CLXI. GRAMINE^. Poa. 



41. POA. 



Gr. TToa, the general name for grasses or herbage. 



Spikelets compressed, ovate, oblong or linear, manj'-flowered (3 — 

 20) ; glumes 2, shorter than the lower flowers ; palege subequal, awn- 

 less, often with an arachnoid web at base, bifid-toothed, the lower one 

 herbaceous, scarious on the margin ; scales ovate, acute, smooth. 

 * FUncers webbed at base. 



1. P. PRATENsis, Spear Grass. 



St. terete, smooth, 1 — 2f high ; Ivs. carinate, linear, abruptly acute, radi- 

 cal ones very long and numerous, cauline shorter than the veined, smooth 

 sheaths ; slip, short, truncate ; panicle diffuse, branches 3 — 5 together in half- 

 whorls ; spikelets ovate, acute, with about 4, acute flowers ; glmncs lanceolate, 

 rather acuminate. — % An excellent grass both for hay and pasturage, very 

 abundant. May, June. Varies much in luxuriance according to the soil. 



2. P. TRiviALis. (P. stolonifera. Muhl.) Roughish Mcadov; Grass. 



Sis. sometimes stolonilierous at base, roughish backwards, 2 — 3f high; 

 Ivs. lance-linear, acute, rough-edged, lower ones very long, cauline as long as 

 the roughish sheaths, with long, acuminate stipules ; _pa?ncZe diflTuse, expanding, 

 scabrous, branches 4 — 5 together in hall-whorls; spikclcls oblong-ovate, 2 — 3- 

 flowered. — Ij. A grass equally common and valuable with the last, N. States. 

 June, July. 



3. P. coMPREssA. Blue Grass. 



St. decumbent and rooting at base, much compressed, smooth, .striate, 12 

 — 18' high; Ics. linear, carinate, veined, smooth, short, bluish-green; sheaths 

 smooth, rather loose, with a short, obtuse stipule ; panicle contracted, somewhat 

 secund, branches scabrous, in 2s and 3s; spikelets ovate-oblong, 3 — 6-flowered, 

 subsessile. — % Less abundant than the last, forming tufts in moist places, Free 

 States. June. 



4. P. SEROTiNA. Erhr. (P. palustris. Muhl.) Meadow Red-top. 



St. erect, 2 — 3f high ; Ivs. flat, narrow-linear, smooth, 10 — 15' long ; stip. 

 long, lacerated ; panicle diffuse, somewhat secund, 6 — 1"6' long, branches in 

 half- whorls ; spikelets ovate-lanceolate, 2 — 3-flowered ; /s. but little webbed at 

 base, yellow at the tip, obscurely 5-veined. — 1]. Common in wet meadows, Free 

 States. June. 



5. P. PUNGENs. Torr. (P. flexuosa. Muhl.) 



St. compressed, 1 — 2f high ; Its. of the stem about 2, flat, oblong, lanceo- 

 late, cuspidate and pungent, lower about 1' long, upper minute, root Ivs. long 

 and narrow, all erect, keeled and pungent at the point ; slip, truncate, lacerate; 

 sheaths nearly as long as the nodes; pa?ucle small, racemose at apex, branches 

 in half-whorls, capillary ; spikelets ovate, 3 — 4-flowered ; fs. rather obtuse, 

 webbed ; glmncs smooth," upper acute ; stij. doubly plumose, white. — % Middle 

 and Western States. April, 



6. P. i.AXA. Hoenke. (P. alpina. Torr.) 



St. caespitose, 6 — 8' hign ; Irs. linear, acute, smooth; stip. lanceolate ; pan. 

 1 — 2' long, contracted, nodding, branches mostly in pairs, smooth, flexuous ; 

 spikelets 2^" long, ovate, 3-flowered ; Jls. often purple, acute, hairy, somewhat 

 webbed at base ; glume lance-ovate, slightly scabrous on the keel ; luwer palea 

 hairy below, upper rough-edged; anth. violet. — '2]. Mountains and woods, N. 

 Eng. ! and Mid. States. 



7. P. NEMORALis. Wood Spear Grass. 



St. slender, 2 — 3f high; Ivs. narrow-linear, pale green, smooth as well as 

 the sheaths ; stip. scarcely any ; panicle G — 10' long, slender, nodding when in 

 fruit, branches capillary, flexuous, in 2s or 3s ; spikelets ovate, about 3-flowered, 

 the flowers spreading nnd at length remote, slightly webbed at base. — % A tall, 

 rank grass, in wet, open woods, N. Eng. ! and Mid. States. July 

 * * Flflversfree, or not webbed at base. 



8. P. ANNUA. Annual Spear Grass. 



Sts. decumbent and rooting at the base, smooth, compressed, 3 — 8' long; 



