212 HORTUS GRAMINELS WOBUHNRNSIS. 



POA (Jistans. Reflexed Meadow-grass, or Glijceria distaus, 

 Reflexed Sweet-grass. 



Specific character: Panicle equal, divaricated; branches 

 finally reflexed ; spikelets linear, five-flowered ; florets 

 blunt, distant, obsoletely five-nerved. 



Obs. — Culms from six to eighteen inches high, round, 

 striated, smooth, obliquely ascending, procumbent from 

 the base to the first joint, sending out branches. Leaves 

 with long sheaths, sharpish, even, glaucous, flat ; the 

 root-leaves a little rolled in. Panicle erect, with the 

 branches in half whirls, angular, rugged, somewhat 

 flexuose, branches of various lengths ; finally much 

 bent. Spikelets linear, from four to seven-flowered, 

 variegated with white or purple. Florets remote, sub- 

 cylindrical, very blunt, retuse, five-nerved, scariose at 

 the tip, with the inner glumes emarginate. 



Native of Britain. Root fibrous. Annual when culti- 

 vated in exposed situations. Perennial in its natural 

 place of growth. 



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

 a sandy loam is 4,764 lbs. per acre. 



Mr. Curtis observes of this grass, that, though at first sight 

 it bears a near resemblance to the poa amiua, and no doubt 

 is often mistaken for it, yet it is considerably taller, its leaves 

 narrower in proportion, and much more glaucous ; its spike- 

 lets are also much narrower, as well as longer, and of course 

 contain many more florets, which are, for the most part, 

 prettily variegated with pale green and purple ; but the 

 chief character which distinguishes this from poa annua and 

 all other species, is to be drawn from the branches of the 

 panicle ; these, as the plant goes out of bloom, are reflected, or 

 stretched out backwards, so as sometimes to touch the 

 culm ; this is effected by little tubercles at the base of the 

 branches on their upper side only, which increasing in size 

 as the plant advances in its flowering, forces them back- 

 wards. Mr. Curtis further informs us, that six years' cul- 



