252 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



of its tender panicles. Poa bulbosa, L., of Europe and West 

 Asia, and P. compressa, L., of the same regions, will grow in 

 pure sand. The latter is a good lawn-grass. 



Poa cynosuroides, Retz. 



North-Eastern Africa, South Asia. A harsh perennial grass, 

 not serviceable for fodder, but mentioned by Royle as a fibre- 

 plant of North- Western India, where it is valued as a material 

 for ropes. In this respect it may not surpass the rough tufty 

 variety of Poa caespitosa, F., so common on river banks of 

 South-East Australia, from the leaves of which excellent nets 

 are made by the natives. 



Poa digitata, R. Brown. 



South-Eastern and Central Australia. Valuable for fixing 

 wet river-banks and slopes. It forms large stools. Cattle 

 and horses relish it. 



Poa distans, Linne. 



Europe, North Africa, Middle and Northern Asia, North 

 America. Perennial. It is one of the limited number of 

 tender grasses, suited for moist saline soil, and thus affords 

 pasturage on coast marshes. 



Poa fertilis, Host. (P. serotina, Ehrhart.) 



Europe, North Asia, North America. Perennial. Important 

 for wet meadows, even with sandy subsoil. Its foliage is 

 tender, tasty, and nourishing. In mixtures of grasses it keeps 

 up the growth late into the autumn ; it will prosper also in 

 sandy and saline soil. 



Poa fluitans, Scopoli. (Glyceriafluitans, R. Brown.) 



Europe, North Africa, Middle and North Asia, North America. 

 The Manna Grass. Perennial. Excellent for stagnant water 

 and slow-flowing streams. The foliage is tender. The seeds 

 are sweet and palatable, and are in many countries used for 

 porridge. 



Poa maritima, Hudson. 



Europe, North Africa, North Asia, North America. Its long 

 creeping roots help to bind the coast sand. This grass can 

 also be depastured. 



Poa nemoralis, Linne. 



Europe, North and Middle Asia, North America. This 



