614 CLXI. GRAMINEiE. Poa. 



41. POA. 



(xT. noa, the general name for grasses or herbage. 



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

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

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

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

 * Flowers 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 ; glumes lanceolate, 

 rather acuminate. — % An excellent grass both for hay an"d pasturage, very 

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



2. P. TRiviALis. (P. stolonifera. Muhl.) Roughish Meadow Grass. 



Sis. sometimes stoloniferous 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, acumanate stipules ; panicU diffuse, expanding, 

 scabrous, branches 4 — 5 together in half- whorls ; spikelets oblong-ovate, 2 — 3- 

 flowered. — %. 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 ; Ivs. 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 — 10' long, branches in 

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

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

 States. June. 



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



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

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

 and narrow, all erect, ke'eled and pungent at the point ; stip. truncate, lacerate ; 

 sheaths nearly as long as the nodes ; panicle small, racemose at apex, branches 

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

 webbed ; ghimcs smooth, upper acute ; sty. doubly plumose, white. — % Middle 

 and Western States. April. 



6. P. LAXA. Hoenke, (P. alpina. Torr.) 



St. caespitose, 6 — 8' high ; Ivs. linear, acute, smooth; stip. lanceolate ; pan. 

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

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

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

 hairv below, iipper rough-edged; anth. violet. — 'Zj. Mountains and woods, N. 

 Engl^ ! 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; slip, 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 and at length remote, slightly webbed at base. — % A tall, 

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

 * * Floiversfree, or Twt webbed at base. 



8. P. ANNUA. Anmtal Spear Grass. 



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



