THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 39 



Stems tufted from creeping root-stocks, from nine to eighteen 

 inches high. Spike oblong, flattened, one inch long ; spikelets ovate 

 or oblong, from five to ten-flowered ; the flowers smooth and naked ; 

 grain pointed. 



Grows on salt marshes and beaches. Flowers in August. 



Plate 16 represents this species, a, the glumes ; b, the staminate 

 or male flower, showing the flowering glume and palea separated at 

 the top and exposing the three stamens ; c, represents the pistillate 

 or female flower. 



Dr. Vasey says that it cannot be considered a first-rate grass for 

 agricultural purposes. 



Genus POA, Linneus. 

 Po'-a. 



From the Greek, poa, a grass. 



Spikelets somewhat compressed, from two to ten-flowered, in an 

 open panicle ; flowers generally perfect ; glumes commonly shorter 

 than the flowers, the lower one somewhat smaller than the other ; 

 flowering glume membranaceous with a scarious margin, com- 

 pressed, keeled, pointless, five-nerved, often with a loose or webby 

 mass of hair at the base ; palea about the same length as the flower- 

 ing glume, prominently two-nerved or two-keeled. Stems tufted. 



Five species of Poa are known in this State, and may be sepa- 

 rated by means of the following table : 



. ( Joints of the stem circular . . 2 



| Joints of the stem flattened or compressed ... P. compressa. 



2 f Stems low, not over ten inches high 3 



{ Stems from one to three feet high 4 



j" Mountain species ; perennial P. laxa. 



( Not growing on high mountains ; annual P. annua. 



. ( Panicle elongated, purplish ; ligule long P. serotina. 



\ Panicle short pyramidal ; ligule short and blunt . P. pratensis. 



37. POA ANNUA, Linneus. 

 Po'-a ari-nu-a. 



Common Names. Annual Spear Grass, Low Spear Grass, 

 Suffolk Grass. 



Stems low and spreading, from three to eight inches high, from 

 an annual or biennial root ; leaves pale green and tender. Panicle 



