128 



Botanical Section 



[PT i 



vulgaris, Doll.), having rather broad, expanded, and moderately 

 stiff leaves. Two other quite distinct forms are : (a) var. latifolia, 

 Koch, with short broad leaf -blades of a bluish- green colour, and 

 (6) var. angustifolia, Smith, with long narrow leaf-blades which 

 are permanently folded, stiff and erect. 



Flowers late in May or early in June, the culms smooth, from 

 1 to 2 feet high. Panicle erect, and spreading at time of flowering. 



Fig. 145. "Seed" 

 of Poa rigida. 

 x 10. Back and 

 front views. 



Fig. 144. Poa rigida (left) and 

 Poa annua (right). About 

 nat. size. 



Spikelets from three- to five-flowered, ovate. Glumes rather 

 unequal, the upper one three-nerved. 



"Seeds" 1-5-2-5 mm. long. (Fig. 142.) Outer palea blunt and 

 often ragged at the apex, five-nerved, the lower half of the central and 

 marginal nerves hairy, the intermediate nerves glabrous. Rachilla 

 cylindrical and smooth. A well-developed "web" is present at 

 the base of the palese. In cleaned commercial samples of the 

 "seed" both this "web" and the hairs of the nerves are almost 



