1Z TRIANDRIA. DIGYNIA. 



A. ARisTVLATA. Tor. Leaves subulate; calyx short? outer corolla glume truncate, tricuspidate.. 

 Synon. A. purpurea. Muhl Uralepsis aristulata. Niitt. 

 Fl. Beginning of June. Fr. mat. 



Hab- Low meadow grounds: Jos. Taylor's meadow: frequent. 1 to 2 feet high. — 



c. Calyx 2 valved, many-flowered, t Flowers in scattered Spikelets. 

 42. POA. Nutt. Gen. 96. 

 [Gr. Poa, herbage, or pasture; a name given, by way of eminence, to this valuable family of grasses.! 



Cor. 2 valved; valves somewhat acute; margins scariose. Spikelets ovate, awnless. 

 P. PRATENsis, Ph. Panicle spreading; spikelets 4 flowered; glumes 5 nerved; ligula short, obtuse. 

 Valgo — Spear-grass. Smooth stalked Meadow-^rass. 

 Fl. Beginnin?; of June. Fr. mat. Middle of July. 



Hab. Fields, and pasture lots, about West Chester: frequent. 1 to 2 feet high. 



Obn. nds peems to be nearly allied to P. viridis. It is believed to be a naturalized foreigner; and affords. 



j\. valuable pasture. 



P. VIRIDIS. 3Iuhl. Spikelets acuminate; glumes compressed, 3 nerved; leaves long, linear, abruptly acute. 



Fw/go— Green-grass. Green Meadow-grass. 



FL Last of May, and after. Fr. mat. Latter end of June, and after. 



Mah. Meadows; borders of rich fields, and woodlands: common. 2 to 3 feet high. 



Obs. This is esteemed by our farmers as among the best species of pasture. It delights in strong soils, 

 CBpeciahy those which are calcareous; and, although rarely propagated by art, with us, it naturally obtains 

 m our ncntields, when they are not too frequently broken un by culture. This grass ha<5 also, latterly, 

 acquired considerable nnportance, by its culms alibrding the material for the manufacture of imitation- 

 J^egliorn hats, and bonnets- 



p. NEAJORALis. PL Panicle, & leaves attenuate; spikelets about 3 flowered; branches slender, verticillate. 



Fl. Middle of June. Fr. mat. 



Hab. Woodlands; T- Gibbons's woods, along the Brandy wine: somewhat rare. 12 to 18 inches high. 



Obs- A weak stemmed, straggling, or decumbent grass, of a bright yellowish-green color. It is well 

 described m .Smith s Flora Britannica, with the exception of " siipula brevissima erenata." In my spe- 

 cimens, the stipula, or ligula, is quite conspicuous, intire, and acute. 



P. ANWUA. Ell. Stems procumbent, compressed, leafy; panicle divaricate ; .spikelets obtuse, about 5 flowered. 

 Fl. Middle of April, till October- Fr. mat. June, and after. 



//a6. Gardens, fielda, and woodlands: common. 3 to 8 inches long. Introduced. 



P. coMPRESSA. Muhl. Panicle condensed, somewhat second: stem ascending, much compressed. 



FuZgo— Blue-grass. Wire -grass. 



F.. Middle of June, and after. Fr. mat Latt€rendof July. 



Hab. Fields, roadsides, &c. comm.on. About 1 foot high. 



Ohs. This well known grass affords a good food for cattle, but is not so much esteemed as the P. viridisi 

 and is sometimes rather troublesome, in the rotation of crops, by its tenacity of life. 



p. NERVATA Muhl. Stem round, striate; panicle branched; leaves lanceolate; corolla valves nerved. 

 Synon. P striata. 3Ix. 



Fl. Middle of June. Fr. mat. Lsst of July. 



Ilab. Low wet places: below the Bath: not common. About 3 feet high. ( 



Obs. Rather a coarse, harsh grass; though Dr. Muhlenberg says '' bonum pabulum." I 



P- cuspiDATA. B.Fl. Phil. Stem leaves short, erect, pointed; spikelets crowded at the ends of the branches. 

 Syno7i. P. pungens. Natt. P. autumnalis. Ell. P. flexuosa.' Muhl. 

 Fl. Latter end of April. Fr. mat. Middle of May. 



Hab. Woodlands: along the Brandywine, abundant. 12 to 18 inches high. 



p. CAPiLLARis- Muhl. Stem much branched; panicle loose, capillary, spreading; leaves and sheaths nerved. 

 Fl. Middle of August. Fr. mat. ftliddle of September. 



Hab. Light. »andy soils: near the Foot tavern; frequent. 6 to 18 inches high. 



Obs. A variable species, as Dr. Muhlonberg remnrks. In my small specimens, the spikelets are mostly 

 8 flowered; and in the large ones 5 flowered. In none of them are the '' leaves hairy." 



P. HfRsuTA. Mx. Panicle expanded; spikelets on long pedicels, 5 to 7 flowered, leaves long; sheaths hirsute. 

 Fl. Middle of August. Fr. mat. Latter end of September. 



Hab. Dry, sandy grounds: roadsides, &c. frequent. 1 to 2 feet high. 



Ohs. A showy, purple-panicled grass, of no value; having, as Michaux observes, much of the habit of 

 Panic nm capillaie. 



