GRASS FAMILY. 207 
17. Poa alsddes A. Gray. Grove Meadow-grass. (Fig. 475.) 
Poa alsodes A. Gray, Man. Ed. 2, 562. 1856. 
Culms 8/-214° tall, erect, slender, simple, smooth 
and glabrous. Sheaths usually longer than the inter- 
nodes; ligule 14’’ long; leaves usually rough, 1//—2// 
wide, those of the culm 2/-8’ in length, the basal 
longer; panicle 3 4’—8’ in length, the branches spread- 
ing or ascending, 114/—3/ long, spikelet-bearing at the 
ends; spikelets 2-3-flowered, about 2%’ long; scales 
very acute, the empty basal ones unequal, the lower 
1-nerved, the upper 3-nerved; flowering scales about 
2’’ long, webbed at the base, the midnerve pubescent 
near the base, the marginal nerves naked, the inter- 
mediate ones very faint. 
In woods and thickets, Nova Scotia to Ontario and 
Minnesota, south to North Carolinaand Tennessee, May- 
June. 
18. Poa Wolfii Scribn. Wolf’s Spear-grass. 
(Fig. 476.) 
Poa Wolfit Scribn. Bull. Torr. Club, 21: 228. 1894. 
Culms 2°-3° tall, erect, slender, simple, smooth and 
glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the internodes; ligule 
%4’’ long; leaves 1/’ wide or less, smooth beneath, 
rough above, those of the culm 2/—4’ in length, the 
basal much longer; panicle 3/—6’ in length, lax, its 
branches erect or ascending, flexuous, 1%4’-214’ long; 
spikelets 2-4-flowered, 214//-3/’ long; scales acute, 
the lower unequal, 3-nerved, glabrous, rough on the 
keel, the first shorter than the second; flowering scales 
about 2’ long, copiously webbed at the base, 5-nerved, 
the marginal and midnerves silky-pubescent for more 
than half their length, the intermediate nerves promi- 
nent, naked. 
Illinois, Tennessee and Kansas. 
19. Poa brevifolia Muhl. Short-leaved Spear-grass. (Fig. 477.) 
Poa brevifolia Muhl. Gram. 138. 1817. 
Culms 1°-3° tall, erect or spreading, slender, 
smooth, glabrous. Sheaths often shorter than the 
internodes; ligule %’/-1%4’’ long; leaves smooth 
beneath, rough above, 1//—2’’ wide, abruptly acute, 
those of the culm 1'4’-4’ long, the uppermost 
sometimes almost wanting; basal leaves usually 
equalling or nearly as long as the culm; panicle 
2'4/-5’ in length, open, the branches ascending, 
widely spreading or often reflexed, 11%4/—3/ long, 
spikelet-bearing at the ends; spikelets 3-6-flow- 
ered, 214’/-3%4’’ long; empty basal scales unequal, 
acute, glabrous, the lower 1-nerved, the upper 3- 
neryed; flowering scales slightly webbed at the 
base, 2//-2'4’’ long, obtuse, 5-nerved, the keel and 
marginal neryes sparingly pubescent, the inter- 
mediate nerves prominent, naked. 
In rocky woods, New Jersey and Pennsylvania’ to Illinois, south to North Carolina and 
Tennessee. April-June. 
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