HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOB URNENSIS. 117 



The seed of a species of grass was received from America, 

 under the name of spear grass, by Joseph Sabine, Esq. 

 secretary to the Horticultural Society, and communicated 

 by that gentleman to the Duke of Bedford. This grass 

 was stated to be the same as that which Miss Woodhouse, 

 in America, used in the manufacture of her prize bonnet 

 in imitation of Leghorn. This seed was sown in the grass 

 garden at Woburn Abbey, and the plants raised from it 

 proved to be those of poa pratensis, or smooth-stalked 

 meadow-grass. 



Plants of the American grass, as it is sometimes called, 

 were also received from Mr. Anderson, of the Botanic 

 Garden, Chelsea, which proved to be identical with the 

 poa pratensis. 



POA fertilis. Fertile Meadow-grass. 



Specific character: Panicle loose, spreading; spikelets 

 oval, spear-shaped, five-flowered ; florets connected at 

 the base by woolly hairs ; husks generally five-nerved, 

 sheaths of the culms a little rough ; straw somewhat 

 compressed; roots slightly creeping. Fig. 1. Spike- 

 let, magnified. 2. Corolla and anthers. 3. Germen. 

 4. Seed. 



Obs. — This grass seems to be allied to the fou nemoralis. 

 It differs in having the panicle more loose and spread- 

 ing, and less attenuated. The spikelets are more oval 

 and nerved, otherwise the number of florets mipht oc- 

 casion a doubt. The culm rises from a foot and a half 

 to two feet in height, and sometimes more ; ascending 

 at the base, afterwards erect, somewhat compressed. 

 In long-continued moist weather the lower joints send 

 up flowering culms. The panicle is erect, and spread- 

 ing when in flower, but contracted and drooping when 

 the seed is ripe. Native of Germany. Perennial. 



Experiments. — At the time of flowering, the produce from 

 a sandy loam is 15,654 lbs. per acre. The produce of 

 latter-math is 4,764 lbs. per acre. 



