490 GRAMINE^E. [Melica. 



35. MELICA, L. 



Perennial grasses. Spikelets terete, racemed or panicled, 1-2-fld. ; 

 rachilla elongate bearing a clavate head of fl. glumes. Empty glumes 2, 

 membranous, convex, subequal, awnless, 3-5- or upper 7-nerved. Fl. 

 glumes cartilaginous, convex, 5-9-nerved, awnless. Palea 2-nerved. 

 Scales fleshy, free or connate. Ovary glabrous ; stigmas broad, sessile, 

 feathery. Fruit oblong, subterete, loosely wrapped in the fl. glume. 

 — Distrib. Temp, and subtrop. regions ; species 20. — Etym. An old 

 name. 



1. M. nutans, L. ; spikelet3 drooping racemed secund ovoid 2-fld., 

 upper flower 2-sexual. 



Woods, from Argyll and Ross to Monmouth and Hereford, W. of England 

 only ; ascends to 1,400 ft. in the Highlands; fl. May-June. — Stoloniferous. 

 Stems 10-18 in., filiform, inclined, 3-quetrous, scabrid above, with scaly 

 sheaths below. Leaves flat, slender, sparsely hairy, edge and keel scabrid ; 

 ligule 0. Racemes 1-2 in., drooping ; rachis flexuous. Spikelets 6-10, J-^ 

 in., very shortly peduncled, broad ; empty glumes purple, oblong, edges and 

 tips broadly scarious ; fl. glumes greenish, strongly keeled, purple below the 

 scarious tip, glabrous. — Distrib. Europe (Arctic), N. Asia. 



2. M. uniflor a, Retz. ; spikelets very few erect panicled on long 

 capillary peduncles 2-fld., upper flower male. 



Woods, from the Clyde and Elgin southd. ; ascends 1,500 ft. in N. England ; 

 Ireland ; fl. May-July. — Habit, foliage, spikelets, and colouring of M. 

 nu'tans, but inflorescence very different; ligule long, from the auricles of 

 the sheath ; rachis of panicle capillary, lower branches 2-nate, 1-lg in. ; 

 pedicels capillary, scaberulous. — Distrib. Europe. 



36. DAC'TYHS, L. Cock's-foot Grass. 



A perennial grass. Spikelets laterally compressed, secund, sessile, 

 densely imbricate at the end of the branches of a one-sided panicle, 3-4-fld. ; 

 rachilla glabrous. Empty glumes 2, mucronate, keeled, membranous ; upper 

 larger, 3-nerved. Fl. glumes larger, cartilaginous, keeled, 5-nerved ; awn 

 subterminal, short, scabrid. Palea as long, 2-fid, nerves ciliate. Scales 

 2, acutely toothed. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous ; styles terminal, stigmas 

 feathery. Fruit dorsally compressed, ventrally grooved, loosely enveloped 

 in the glume. — Distrib. Europe (Arctic), N. Africa, Siberia, N. India ; 

 introd. in N. America. — Etym. SanrvKis, a finger's breadth ; of obscure 

 application. 



D. glomera'ta, L. ; rough, leaves broad flat. 

 Pastures, waste places, &c.,N. to Shetland; ascends to 1,600 ft. in N. England; 

 Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. June-July.— Stems 2-3 ft., creeping below, 

 erect, stout, smooth. Leaves long, flat, keeled, compressed ; sheaths scabrid ; 

 ligule long. Panicle strict, 1-6 in., green and violet ; lower brauchcs few, 

 long, strict, scabrid, horizontal in flower, erect in fruit. Spikelets Jin., 

 oblong, scabrid. 



