Poa.\ GRAMINE.E. 



303 



Name, noa, grass or pasturage, from 7raw, to feed ; the whole 

 Genus affording an abundant pasturage for cattle. 



Triandria. Digynia. 



* Spikelets linear or subcylindrical. (Glyceria, Sm. and, in 

 part, Br.) 



1. P. aquatica, Linn. Reed Meadow-grass. Panicle erect, 

 very much branched ; spikelets linear, with about six obtuse 

 florets, which have seven ribs. Br. Fl. ed. 3. p. 43. E. Bot. 

 t. 1315. — Glyceria aquatica. E. Fl. v. i. p. 116. — Hydrochloa, 

 Hartman, Lindl. 



Sides of rivers, pools and ditches. Fl. July, Aug. %. — Four to six 

 feet high, erect. Leaves linear-lanceolate, rough. Ligide short, ob- 

 tuse. Calyx-valves small, ovate, obtuse, membranous, smoothish. 

 Exterior valves of the corolla twice as long as the calyx ; interior 

 narrower and bifid at the point. A useful grass to sow on the banks of 

 rivers or brooks, horses, cows, and goats being exceedingly fond of it. 



2. P. fluitans, Scop. Floating Meadoio-grass. Panicle 

 nearly erect, slightly branched ; spikelets linear, appressecl, of 

 from seven to eleven obtuse florets, which have seven ribs with 

 short intermediate ones at the base ; root creeping. Br. Fl. 

 ed. 3. p. 43. E.Bot. t. 1520.— Glyceria fluitans, Br. E. Fl. 

 v. i. p. 116. — Festuca, Linn. 



Ditches and stagnant waters, abundant. Fl. July, Aug. %. — 

 Culms one to three feet high, thick and succulent. Leaves linear- 

 lanceolate, acute. Ligide oblong, pointed. Panicle subsecund, very 

 long, slender ; calyx-valves unequal, small, ovate, membranous, ob- 

 tuse. Corolla-valves ovato-oblong, thrice as long as the calyx ; outer 

 ones scabrous. The scale is of one thick fleshy piece, which is the 

 principal character of Mr. Brown's genus Glyceria. " It yields the 

 Manna-seeds of our shops, which are gathered abundantly in Holland, 

 where, as in Poland and Germany, they are used for food." Hooker. 

 This, like the last, is a sweet juicy grass, and cows are very fond of it. 



3. P. marititna, Huds. Creeping Sea Meadoiv-grass. Pa- 

 nicle erect, subcoarctate, (rigid) ; spikelets linear, of about five 

 obtuse florets, which are obsoletely 5-nerved ; leaves convo- 

 lute ; root creeping. Br. Fl. ed. 3. p. 44. E. Bot. t. 1140. — 

 Glyceria marit., E. Fl. v. i. p. WQ.—Sclerochloa, Lindl. 



Sea-coast, frequent. Fl. July, Aug. %. — Eight to twelve inches 

 high, rigid, glaucous. Leaves involute, somewhat pungent. Ligule 

 ovate, bluntish. Glumes all firm, cartilaginous, purplish. Calyx- 

 valves nearly as large as the corolla, with mostly three ribs. Florets 

 hairy at the base, sometimes purplish. 



4. P. distans, Linn. Rejlexed Meadow-grass. Panicle 

 spreading ; branches at length deflexed ; spikelets linear, of 

 about five obtuse florets, which are obsoletely 5-nerved ; leaves 

 plane ; root fibrous. Br. Fl. ed. 3. p. 44. E. Bot. t. 986. — 

 Glyceria distans, E. Fl. v.i. p. 118. 



