98 CIRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 



Poa rigida being so diminutive a plant, it would be unprofita- 

 ble to apply it to any agricultural purpose. Hares and rabbits, it is 

 said, are fond of the leaves. It grows on walls, rocks, and dry barren 

 soils. Frequent on the coast of Fife, and in the neighbourhood of 

 Edinburgh, especially on Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Craigs. Not 

 uncommon in England and Ireland ; also a native of Germany, France, 

 Switzerland, Italy, and North Africa. Not found in America, or 

 further north than altitude 59". Its limit of altitude is about 500 feet 

 above the sea. 



Flowers in the second week of July, and ripens its seed in the mid- 

 dle of August. 



65. Poa loliacea. * 

 Spiked Meadow- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Florets not webbed. Summit of the upper 

 glume on a level with the base of the foiu-th floret. Glumes without 

 lateral ribs. (Plate XLIII). 



Description. — It grows from two to five inches high. The root is 

 annual, fibrous. Stem ascending, slightly curved, stout, smooth, and 

 striated ; bearing three or four ^leaves with smooth striated sheaths ; 

 the upper sheath about equal in length to its leaf, crowned with an 

 obtuse ragged ligule ; the lower sheaths shorter than their leaves. 

 Joints two or three, smooth. Leaves linear, smooth, convolute when 

 dry. Infiorescence mostly racemed, approaching to a spike. Raceme 

 erect or with a gentle curve. Spikelets of an oblong-ovate, on very 

 short and stout footstalks, arranged alternately on each side of the 

 rough rachis, all directed to one side, nearly covering the rachis in 

 front, and leaving it completely bare behind ; of from eight to twelve 

 florets ; the summit of the lowermost floret scarcely extending beyond 

 the large glume of the calyx. Calyx of two somewhat acute glumes, 

 (Fig. 1), nearly equal, without lateral ribs ; the dorsal rib strongly 

 marked. Florets of two palese (Fig. 2) ; the outer palea of lower- 

 most ^ovQi Jive-ribbed ; the marginal ribs broad, with a white line down 

 the centre ; the intermediate ribs scarcely perceptible ; the dorsal rib 



* Poa loliacea, Huds. Koch. Tritiam loliaceum, Hooker, Smith. Catopodivm lo- 

 liojceum, Lindley. 



