GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 71 



the spikelets being much larger. Floret not protruding beyond the 

 calyx. Outer palea three-toothed at the summit, and the sheaths 

 crowned with a tuft of hairs in place of a ligule ; — whereas in Poa, 

 the florets almost always extend beyond the calyx. Outer palea en- 

 tire at the summit, and the sheaths crowned with a membranous ligule 

 without hairs. 



This grass is not of sufficient importance to be recommended for 

 cultivation. It is found growing on dry mountain pastures, and also on 

 wet barren ground, sometimes at an elevation of 1000 feet above 

 the sea. It is a common grass throughout Scotland, England, and 

 Ireland ; also a native of Norway, Sweden, Prussia, Germany, France, 

 Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, and Greece. Not found 

 in Lapland or America, 



Flowers in the last week in July, and ripens its seed early in Au- 

 gust. 



49. Briza media. * 

 Common Quaking- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Spikelets broadly ovate. Ligule very short 

 and blunt. (Plate XXX.) 



Description. — It grows from twelve to eighteen inches high. The 

 root is perennial, fibrous, tufted. Stem erect, smooth, round, and 

 slender, bearing four leaves with smooth striated sheaths ; the upper 

 sheath much longer than its leaf, crowned with a short obtuse ligule. 

 Joints smooth. Leaves flat, acute, roughish on the inner surface. In- 

 Jlorescence simple or compound panicled. Panicle erect, broad, of a 

 triangular form ; branches spreading, smooth, very slender, slightly 

 wavy, round, arranged in alternate pairs on the smooth rachis. Spike- 

 lets broadly ovate, compressed, variegated with purple, brown and 

 white, pendulous, on long slender footstalks ; of about seven awnless 

 florets, protruding beyond the calyx. Calyx of two nearly equal 

 broad obtuse glumes (Fig. 1), membranous at the margins, furnish- 

 ed with three ribs. Florets of two paleae (Fig. 2), the outer palea of 

 lowermost floret broad, obtuse, compressed, membranous at the mai- 



' Briza media, Linn., Smith, Hooker, Lindlcy, Greville, Koch. 



