76 GRASSES OF SCOTLAND, 



Poa pratensis is an early grass, producing a large quantity 

 of herbage, which is liked by all cattle ; but its creeping root is 

 said to impoverish the soil, and is therefore not recommended for cul- 

 tivation, the fibrous-rooted grasses being always preferred. When 

 this grass is intended for hay, it should be cut during the time of 

 flowering, for if allowed to remain till the seed is ripe a loss of more 

 than one-fourth part of the whole crop is sustained. The stems are 

 said to be used for the manufacturing of plat for straw-bonnets in 

 imitation of Leghorn. 



This is a common grass in meadows, pastures, and road-sides through- 

 out England, Ireland, and Scotland. It is also a native of Lapland, 

 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Prussia, Germany, France, Spain, Por- 

 tugal, Switzerland, Italy, North Asia, Iceland, and the United States.. 

 It is sometimes found at the altitude of 3000 feet above the sea. 



Flowers in the first week of June, and ripens its seed in the first 

 week of July, 



52. Poa trivialis,* 

 Rough-stalked Meadoiv- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Florets webbed. Outer palea five-ribbed. The 

 marginal ribs not hairy. Ligule long and pointed. (Plate XXXV. ) 



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

 root is perennial, creeping. Stem erect, decumbent at the base, 

 round, and generally roughish, bearing five or six leaves with rough 

 striated sheaths, (the roughness is only felt from below upwards ; 

 smooth on the opposite direction) ; the upper sheath much longer than 

 its leaf, crowned with a long pointed ligule. Joints smooth. Leaves 

 thin, flat, acute, rough on both surfaces. Inflorescence panicled. 

 Panicle erect, the branches rough and spreading, the lower ones ge- 

 nerally in threes or fives. Spikelets ovate, compressed, of two to five 

 awnless florets, the summit of the lowermost floret extending slightly 

 beyond the large glume of the calyx. Calyx of two nearly equal 

 acute glumes, (Fig. 1), the upper glume three-ribbed, the lower with- 

 out lateral ribs, the dorsal rib of both, strongly toothed. Florets of 

 two palese (Fig. 2), the outer palea of lowermost ^orei five-ribbed 

 * Poa trixialis, Linn. Koch, Smith, Hooker, Gieville, Lindlej^ 



