82 TRIANDRIA DIGYNIA. [CL. III. 



rowed, unilateral, with smooth stalks; spikelets of about seven acute, 



scarcely-ribbed flowers. -Root fibrous: stems from three to eight 



inches high, extremely stiff and firm : flowers cylindrical, slightly keeled : 

 the whole plant generally brownish. Perennial : flowers in June : grows 

 in dry gravelly places, and on walls : not uncommon. Eng. Bot. vol. xx. 

 pi. 1371. Eng. Ft. vol. i. p. 120. 155. 



30. PO'A. MEADOW-GRASS. 



Calyx of two unequal, egg-shaped, acute, keeled, awnless chaff- 

 scales, containing an egg-shaped spikelet of two-rowed, imbricated, 

 awnless, perfect flowers, frequently connected at the base by a web 

 of white cottony filaments. Corolla of two unequal husks ; the 

 outer egg-shaped, acute, keeled, compressed, entire, membranous 

 at the edges ; the inner narrower, with two nearly marginal ribs, 

 inflected membranous edges, and a cleft summit. Nectary a 

 deeply-cleft scale. Filaments hair-like, longer than the corolla ; 

 anthers pendulous, oblong, cleft at both ends. Germen egg- 

 shaped. Styles very short; stigmas feathery, spreading. Seed 

 oblong, acute, loose, covered with the unaltered husks. Name, 

 poa, grass, from pao, to feed. 46. 



1. P. comprtssa. Flat-stalked Meadow-grots. Panicle somewhat uni- 

 lateral, spreading; straw compressed; spikelets oblong; flowers con- 

 nected by a web ; root creeping. Straw decumbent at the base, about 



a foot high : panicle with rough angular branches : spikelets from three 

 to eight flowers : outer husk five-ribbed, rough on the keel. Perennial : 

 flowers in June, July, and August : grows in waste ground, and on 

 walls : not uncommon. Eng- Bot. vol. vi. pi. 365. Eng- ft- vol. i. 

 p. 121. 156. 



2. P. alpina. Alpine Meadow-grass. Panicle spreading ; spikelets 

 egg-shaped, four or five-flowered ; flowers somewhat incurved, hairy at 



the base. Root fibrous : straws from four to eight inches high, erect : 



leaves linear, flat, bluntish, with a small point, rough at the edges : 

 spikelets broad : chaff-scales keeled, three-ribbed : inner husk fringed at 

 the ribs. Perennial: flowers in July and August: grows abundantly on 

 the higher mountains of Scotland and Wales : common. Eng. Bot. 

 vol. xiv. pi. 1003. Eng . Fl. vol. i. p. 122. 157. 



3. P. idxa. Waved Meadow-grass. Panicle drooping, loosely spread- 

 ing, waved ; spikelets egg-shaped, three-flowered ; flowers connected by 



a web. Root slightly creeping : the whole plant somewhat glaucous : 



leaves linear, roughish above : panicle with waved branches : spikelets 

 broad: chaff-scales keeled. Perennial: flowers in July: found by 

 Mr. J. T. Mackay, on Bennevis. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 123. Eng. Pot. 

 pi. 1123. 158. 



4. P. bulbosa. Bulbous Meadow-grass. Panicle close, slightly waved ; 

 spikelets egg-shaped, four-flowered ; flowers smoothish, connected by a 



web; leaves finely serrated ; straw bulbous at the base. Straws four 



or five inches high : panicle oblong: spikelets egg-shaped: chaff-scales 

 rough on the keel: outer husk hairy on the keel, with a continuation of 

 the web, the inner fringed. Perennial : flowers in April and May : 

 grows on the sandy sea-shore in some parts of England : rare. Eng. 

 Bot. vol. xv. pi. 1071. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 123. 159. 



