644 THE GHASS FAMILY. 



erect, narrow and pointed, 2 to 4 lines long, usually with about 3 

 flowers. Glumes acute, the outer ones shorter than the flowering ones, 

 and rather unequal. 



In wet heathy places, moors, woods, and waste places, throughout 

 Europe and temperate Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic 

 regions. Common in Britain, except where destroyed by cultivation. 

 PI. late in summer, or autumn. [M. depauperate, Lindl., is a 1-flowered 

 state.] 



XXXVIII. MELICA. MELICK. 



Spikelets awnless, rather large, and a few in a slender panicle, each 

 with 1 or 2 flowers, besides a small, terminal, wedge-shaped glume, 

 enclosing 1 or 2 more minute or rudimentary ones. Glumes broad and 

 several-nerved, but not keeled ; the outer empty ones thin, the flowering 

 ones of a rather firmer texture. 



A small but natural and widely dispersed genus, readily known by 

 the small, terminal, empty glumes, much more conspicuous than in any 

 of the allied genera. 



Spikelets drooping, 2-flowered 1. Jf. nutans. 



9|>ikelets erect, 1-flowered . 2. M . uniflora 



1. M. nutans, Linn. (fig. 1253). Mountain M. A slender erect 

 perennial, 1 to 2 feet high, with erect, flat leaves. Panicle one-sided, 

 2 to 3 inches long ; the short but slender branches usually erect, so as 

 to give it the appearance of a simple /aceme. Spikelets about 10 to 15, 

 drooping, 3 to even 4 lines long, 2-flowered ; the outer glumes brown 

 or purple, with scarious edges, the flowering ones scarcely protruding 

 beyond them ; the inner imperfect glume much shorter, broadly wedge- 

 shaped. 



In woods, and shady rocky places, in hilly districts, extending all 

 over Europe and Russian Asia, to the Arctic zone. In Britain, only in 

 Scotland and the west of England. Fl. early summer. 



2. M. uniflora, Linn. (fig. 1254). Wood M. An elegant perennial, 

 1 to 2 feet high, more slender even than M. nutans, with longer and 

 narrower leaves. Leaf -sheath quite closed, opposite to the blade as in 

 Cyperacece, and produced into a small green point. Panicle sometimes 

 reduced to an almost simple raceme with only 3 or 4 spikelets, some- 

 times with a few long, slender, distant branches, each bearing several 

 spikelets. Each spikelet near 3 lines long, coloured as. in M. nutans, 

 but erect and containing but one flower ; the imperfect inner glume 

 oblong, stalked, and reaching to the height of the flowering one. 



In woods and shady places, in central and southern Europe, extend- 

 ing eastward to the Caucasus and northward into Scandinavia. Fre- 

 quent in England and Ireland, quite local in Scotland. Fl. early 



XXXIX. TRIODIA. TBIODIA. 



Spikelets awnless, rather large, and few in a panicle, contracted 

 almost into a simple raceme, and few-flowered. Outer glumes pointed, 



