POA.] GKAMINE^E. 443 



3. P. compres sa, L. ; stem smooth compressed, upper leaf equalling or 



exceeding its sheath, ligule short, branches of effuse panicle 2-3-nate 



scabrid, fl. glumes 4-9 obtuse nearly glabrous, nerves obscure. 



Dry banks, walls, &c. from Ross southwards ; Londonderry only in Ireland ; 



fl. June- July. Smooth or slightly rough, glabrous, more or less glaucous. 



Stems 1-2 ft., usually much bent towards the base. Leaves flat, rough or not. . 



Panicle 1-3 in. , usually more secund and contracted than in P. pratensis, but 



sometimes effuse. Spikelets fa in., green or bluish-purple ; empty glumes 



subequal ; fl. glumes broadly hyaline, 3-nerved (P. subcompressa, Parn.) 



or 5-nerved (P. polynoda, Parn.) and then more usually webbed. DISTRIB. 



Europe, N. and W. Asia ; doubtfully native of N. America. 



*** Rootstock shortly creeping, stolons 0. 



. 4. P. trivia'lis, L. ; stems and sheaths rough, ligule oblong acute, 

 branches of effuse panicle 5-nate scabrid, fl. glumes 3-5 acuminate glabrous 

 or webbed, nerves 5 distinct. 



Woods and meadows ; ascending to nearly 2,500 ft. in the Highlands ; 

 fl. June-July. Very near indeed to P. pratensis, and chiefly distinguish- 

 able by the roughness, and absence of stolons. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, 

 Siberia, Dahuria ; introd. in N. America. 



5. P. nemora lis, L. ; stems and sheaths smooth, ligule 0, branches 

 of the subsecund panicle 2-5-nate scabrid, fl. glumes 15 subacute, edges 

 and keel pubescent, nerves obsolete. 



Copses and woods, from Skye and Elgin southwards ; ascending to nearly 

 1,600 ft. in the Highlands ; E. and N. of Ireland, rare ; fl. June-July. 

 Smooth, bright green, glaucous or not. Stems 1-3 ft., very slender, terete 

 or slightly compressed. Leaves linear, very narrow, flaccid ; sheaths smooth, 

 striate. Panicle 2-5 in., slender, nodding. Spikelets small, J in., yellow- 

 green and purplish ; empty glumes often equalling the flowering, acuminate ; 

 fl. glumes 2-5, scarcely hyaline at the tip or margins. DISTRIB. Europe, 

 N. Asia, Himalaya, N. America. 



VAR. 1, wmora'lit proper ; upper leaf equalling the sheath, ligule very short, 

 fl. glumes webbed. VAR. 2, Parnel'lii, Bab. (sp. ) ; upper leaf usually shorter 

 than its sheath, ligule short, fl. glumes hardly webbed. VAR. 3, ylauca, 

 Sin. ; stem strict, base creeping, upper node very long, leaves glaucous, 

 upper equalling the sheath, ligule ovate obtuse, fl. glumes webbed. P. 

 Balfourii, Parn. Alpine rocks, N. Wales, Yorkshire, northwards to Argyle, 

 Perth, and Aberdeen ; alt. 2,000-3,000 ft. P. montana, Parn., is interme- 

 diate between this and nemoralis proper. P. ccesia, Sm., is a doubtful plant. 



6. P. lax 'a, Hcenke ; stems slightly compressed smooth, leaves short, 

 ligules long torn acute, branches of narrow lax subsecund panicle solitary 

 or 2-nate smooth, fl. glumes 2-4, keel and margins villous, nerves 3-5 

 obscure. P.flexuosa, Sm. 



Rocky shelves on the lofty Alps of Aberdeen and Inverness ; ascending to 

 about 3,600 ft. ; fl. July-Aug. Flaccid, smooth, pale glaucous green. Stems 

 4-10 in. , compressed and prostrate below. Leaves linear, obliquely mucronate, 

 upper longer than its sheath ; sheaths compressed. Panicle 1-3 in., droop- 

 ing, lax or open, branches rarely scaberulous. Spikelets Vp-J in., often 

 viviparous, green and purplish ; empty glumes acuminate, tips hyaline. 

 DISTRIB. N. Alpine andf Arctic Europe, Siberia, N. America. Often with 

 difficulty distinguished from P. alpina. 



