ttXMt lU. OKDSR II.] 



POA. Ill 



1. 31. cceru'lea, Mcencli. (Fig. 138.) purple Molinia. Panicle erect, 

 rather close, purplish, leaves much shorter than the stem. 



Lindley, Synopsis, p. 307. — Mel'ica carwYea, Linn. English Botany, 

 t. 750. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 1 13. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. 

 p. 41. — Sinclair, Hort. Gram. Woburn. p. 286. 



/3. Panicle pale green; spikelets few-flowered. 



Mel'ica alpi'na, Don. — Molin'ia depaupera'ta, Lindley. 



Roots of numerous strong wiry fibres. Stem, erect, from one to two 

 feet high, numerous, smooth, finely striated, the base frequently swollen, 

 surrounded with numerous leaves, single-jointed near the bottom. 

 Leaves numerous, long, narrow, linear, acuminate, finely striated, 

 roughish especially on the upper surface. Sheaths close, smooth, 

 striated. Ligula a tuft of short fine glossy hairs. Injlorescence a 

 rather close, erect, roughish branched panicle, from two to six inches 

 long. Spikelets numerous, erect, bluish-purple; " rarely, and perhaps 

 only when growing in much sheltered situations, green." Glumes 

 unequal, purple, becoming brown with age ; the outer valve lanceolate, 

 shorter than the inner, which has a longer sharper point, each with a 

 single dorsal rib. Florets from three to six, the upper one or two 

 imperfect, shining ; outer valve lanceolate, three-ribbed, with a sharp 

 point; the inner pale-green with two lateral ribs from which the inner 

 margins are inflexed, the extremity acute. Anthers purple. Stigmas 

 a dense purple feathery tufts. Seed small, loose, inclosed in the 

 hardened glumelles. 



Habitat. — On exposed moors, and on barren heathy situations, 

 common. 



Perennial ; flowering in August. 



For the purposes of cultivation this grass is of little or no value. The 

 tough stems, we are informed by Withering, are used in some parts of 

 England to make brooms, and used as a substitute for the more expen- 

 sive ones made of hair ; and Lightfoot says, that in Skye, the fishermen 

 twist them into excellent ropes for their nets. 



GENUS XXXVI. PO'A. Linn. Meadoiv-grass. 



Gen. Char. Panicle loose. Spikelets three, or many-flowered. Glumes 

 two, shorter than the florets. Glumelles two, nearly equal, awnless. 

 Name from iroa,, grass, or herb. This genus is so named in reference 

 to their value as pasture grasses.* 



* The above, there can bo little doubt, is the derivation of the word Poa ; 

 but there are other words of the same meaning, as 7roi« and ttov. While 

 speaking of the derivation of the word Grass, it may be interesting to notice a 

 remarkable coincidence between a systematic arrangement of the vegetable 

 kingdom, (which has been adopted only within the last few years, after the 



