492 GBAMINEjE [Poa. 



broadest in the middle ; fl. glumes glabrous or hairy below the middle. - 

 Distrib. N. temp. Europe (Arctic), Asia, and N. Africa; N. America, 

 native (?). 



** Perennial ; rootstock creeping, stoloniferous. 



2. P. praten'sis, L. ; stem smooth terete, upper leaf shorter than its 

 sheath, ligule long, branches of diffuse panicle 3-5-nate scabrid, fl. glumes 

 3-5 acute webbed, edges and keel silky, nerves 5 distinct. 



Meadows, banks, and pastures, N. to Shetland ; ascends to 2,400 ft. in York- 

 shire ; in Ireland to 2,800 ft. ; fl. June-July.— Glabrous, pale green. Stents 

 1-2 ft., rather stout, very stoloniferous. Leaves linear, flat, acute, tip often 

 concave ; sheaths subcompressed. Panicle 2-6 in., pyramidal, closed or 

 open after flowering ; branches long or short, rarely 2-3-nate. Spikelets 

 l-J in., green or purplish ; empty glumes acuminate, keel scabrid ; fl. glumes 

 broadly hyaline.— Distrib. N. temp, and Arctic regions. — P. subcceru'lea, 

 Sm., is a small glaucous state, and P. angustifo'lia, L., one with slender 

 leaves. — P. strif/o'sa, Gaud., is a small state, growing in dark places, with 

 convolute leaves, and a narrow panicle that closes after flowering. 



3. P. compres'sa, L. ; stem smooth compressed, upper leaf equalling 

 or exceeding its sheath, ligule short, branches of effuse panicle 2-3-nate 

 scabrid, fl. glumes 4-9 obtuse nearly glabrous, nerves obscure. 



Dry banks, walls, &c, from Ross southd. ; rare in Ireland ; Channel Islands ; 

 fl. June-July. — Smooth or slightly rough, glabrous, more or less glaucous. 

 Stems 1-3 ft., usually much bent towards the base. Leaves flat, rough or 

 not. Panicle 1-3 in., usually more secund and contracted than in P. 

 praten'sis, but sometimes effuse. Spikelets £ in., green or bluish-purple ; 

 empty glumes subequal ; fl. glumes broadly hyaline, 3-nerved (P. subcont- 

 pres'sa, Parn.) or 5-nerved (P. polyno'da, Parn.) and then more usually 

 webbed.— Distrib. Europe, N. and W. Asia ; native (?) of N. America. 



*** Rootstock shortly creeping, stolons 0. 



4. P. trivia'lis, L. ; stems and sheaths usually rough, ligule oblong 

 acute, branches of effuse panicle 5-nate scabrid, fl. glumes 3-5 acuminate 

 glabrous or webbed, nerves 5 distinct. 



"Woods and meadows, N. to Shetland ; ascends to 2,500 ft. in the Highlands ; 

 Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. June-July. — Very near indeed to P. praten'sis. 

 and chiefly distinguishable by the roughness, absence of stolons, and 

 erect panicle. Var. P. Koeleri, DC, which grows in woods, has smooth 

 sheaths. Tar. parviflora, Parn., is a weak state with 1-2 fld. spikelets. — 

 Distrib. Europe, N. Africa, N. Asia ; introd. in N. America. 



5. P. nemora'lis, L. ; stems and sheaths smooth, ligule short or 0, 

 branches of the subsecund panicle 2-5-nate scabrid, fl. glumes 1-5 sub- 

 acute, edges and keel pubescent, nerves obsolete. 



Copses and woods, from Skye and Elgin southd. ; ascends to 1,600 ft. in the 

 Highlands ; Ireland, rare ; Channel Islands ; fl. June-July. — Smooth, bright 

 green, glaucous or not. Stems 1-3 ft., very slender, terete or subcompressed. 

 Leaves linear, very narrow, flaccid ; sheaths smooth, striate. Panicle 2-5 



