Brtza.] GRAMINE.E. 491 



37. bri'za, L. Quaking Grass. 



Spikelcts large, ovate or cordate, turgid, pendulous, in effuse panicles, 

 many-fld. ; branches in ^-whorls ; pedicels capillary ; rachilla jointed 

 between the fl. glumes. Empty glumes 2, longer or shorter than the 

 lowest flowering, subequal, broad, rounded at the back. Fl. glumes im- 

 bricate, boat-shaped or saccate, very obtuse, many-nerved, upper often 

 flowerless. Palea small, nerves ciliate. Scales 2, ovate-lanceolate. Sta- 

 mens 3. Ovary glabrous ; styles short, terminal, stigmas feathery. 

 Fruit broadly ovoid, compressed, enclosed in the hardened glume. — Dis- 

 TBIB. Temp. Europe, Africa, and Asia : species 10. — Etym. An old 

 Greek name. 



1. B. media, L. ; perennial, ligule short, spikelets ovate, empty glumes 

 shorter than the 1st fl. glume. 



Meadows and heaths, &c. from Ross southd. ; ascends to 2,100 ft. in York- 

 shire ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. June. — Stems solitary, creeping below, 

 6-18 in., very slender, smooth. Leaves flat, smooth or'scabrid; sheaths 

 smooth, upper inflated. Panicle pyramidal ; branches very long, capillary. 

 Spikelets £-§ in., green or purplish, shining ; fl. glumes 5-9, sheathing one 

 another. — Distrib. Europe, N. and W. Asia; in trod, in N. America. 



2. B. minor, L. ; annual, ligule long, empty glumes longer than the 

 1st fl. glume. 



Fields, Hants to Cornwall ; Cork ; Channel Islands ; fl. July. — Stems tufted, 

 4-10 in. Panicle almost as in B. me'dia, but spikelets more numerous, 

 smaller, £ in. diam., broader than long. — Distrib. From France and Spain 

 to Turkey, N. Africa. 



38. po'a, L. Meadow-Grass. 



Spikelets compressed, 2-many-fld., in branched »usually effuse panicles ; 

 branches 2-nate or in J-whorls ; rachilla jointed between the fl. glumes. 

 Empty glumes 2, shorter than the lowest flowering, unequal, acute or ob- 

 tuse, keeled ; lower 1-3-nerved ; upper larger, 3-nerved, awnless. Fl. 

 glumes often webbed below, keeled, acute, 5-7-nerved, tips hyaline. Palea 

 2-fid, nerves 2 ciliate. Scales tumid below. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous ; 

 styles 2, short, terminal, stigmas feathery. Fruit obtusely 3-gonous, 

 grooved, enclosed in the glume, glabrous. — Distrib. Chiefly cold and 

 temp, regions ; species 80. — Etym. ir6a, fodder. 



* Annual. Branches of the panicle solitary or 2-nate. 



1. P. annua, L. ; stems compressed, leaves obtuse, ligule long acute, 

 branches of panicle 2-nate at length deflexed, fl. glumes 3-7 5-nerved. 

 Waste places, &c. ; ascends to 3,200 ft. in the Highlands ; Ireland ; 

 Channel Islands ; fl. April-Sept. — Flaccid, bright green, sometimes 

 glaucous, quite glabrous and smooth. Stems 6-12 in., weak. Leaves linear, 

 subacute, often waved. Panicle 1-3 in., subpyramidal, subsecund, green or 

 purplish. Spikelets £ in., subseesile; empty glumes broadly hyaline, upper 



