GRAMINE/E 237 



M. serotina Mert. et K. Plant 1-3 ft. high, glabrous. Panicle spread- 

 ing, with branches at right angles. Florets 2-5, somewhat awned. Fertile 

 glume 5-nerved. Stem leafy and knotted. 



Limestone hills and stony slopes. July-October. 



MELICA L. MELICK. 



Glumes nearly equal, with lateral ribs, nearly as long as the ovate spikelet 

 of i or 2 flowers, rounded on the back and with a club-like rudiment. Fertile 

 glumes 5-9 nerved, awnless. 



M. ciliata L. Panicle regular, spike-like ; branches erect. Fertile glume of 

 lower floret ciliate on its whole length. Back rough, not hairy. Leaves flat. 

 Stem tall, solitary. The two sub-species which occur in the Var are AT. nebro= 

 densis Part, with a more slender, looser panicle, and M. Magnolii G. G., a 

 more robust plant with a longer interrupted panicle. They both occur on dry 

 hill-sides and borders of fields. April-June. In nebrodensis the fertile glume 

 of lower leaflet is ciliate for its whole length. 



M. Bauhini All. Panicle simple, much less dense than in ciliata, lower 

 branches spreading. Spikelets secund. Fertile glume of lower florets ciliate to 

 above middle, not at top. Back scabrous. 



Dry, rocky places. April-June. 



M. minuta L. Fertile glume not bearded. Raceme sometimes simple, loose, 

 finally whitish or violet. Spikelets beardless, with 2 complete florets. Glumes 

 acute, falling short of the florets. Stem branched. Leaves very narrow, con- 

 volute. Ligule long. A very distinct species. 



Limestone rocks and walls, local. April-June. 



M. major Sibth. et Sm. is a sub-species of the last, with flat leaves, larger 

 panicle and larger habit altogether. 



Woods and arid slopes. April-June. 



M. uniflora Retz. Wood Melick. Panicle branched, i sided ; only i 

 complete floret. Fertile glume not bearded. Plant 1-2 ft. high. 

 Woods in the hills and shady places. April-July. 



BRIZA L. QUAKE-GRASS. 



Glumes nearly equal, broad, 3-ribbed. Flowers 3-8, densely imbricate in a 

 short distichous spikelet. Fertile glume boat-shaped, blunt, rounded on the back, 

 with 7-9 faint veins. Glumes and pale membranous with a scarious margin. 

 Nut free. Spikelets drooping. 



B. maxima L. Panicle simple, drooping. Spikelets large, 9-17 flowered, 

 drooping, oblong-ovate, silvery-white at first. 



Sandy fields and waste ground in the littoral zone. May-June. 



B. media L. Common Shaking Grass. Panicle compound, erect; sp ke- 

 lets small, suborbicular, 5-9 flowered, usually purplish. Ligule short, truncate 

 Meadows and pastures. May-July. 



B. minor L. Annual. Panicle, very compressd, erect. Spikelets triangular 

 cordate, small, 5-7 flowered, pale green. Ligule lanceolate acute, long. 

 Damp sandy fields, local. May- July. 



SCLEROCHLOA P. Beauv. 



Glumes unequal, membranous. Fertile glume with 5 faint veins, cylindrical 

 below, olten keeled at the tip, or with a very minute mucro. Nut oblong, 

 convex on back, not furrowed within, free. 



S. maritime Lindl. = Poa maritime Huds. Panicle contracted when in 

 fruit. Spikelets linear, about 5-flowered. Outer glume i-nerved ; inner ob- 

 scurely 3-nerved. Plant annual, rigid, with long barren runners and bent stems. 



Salt marshes and sea-sands. May-June. 



