BRIZA.] GRAMINEJE. 491 



37. BRI'ZA, L. QUAKING GRASS. 



Spilcelets large, ovate or cordate, turgid, pendulous, in effuse panicles, 

 many-fld. ; branches in J- whorls ; pedicels capillary ; rachilla jointed 

 between the fl. glumes. Empty glumes 2, longer or shorter than the 

 lowest flowering, subequal, broad, rounded at the back. Fl. glumes im- 

 bricate, boat-shaped or saccate, very obtuse, many-nerved, upper often 

 flowerless. Palea small, nerves ciliate. Scales 2, ovate-lanceolate. Sta- 

 mens 3. Ovary glabrous ; styles short, terminal, stigmas feathery. 

 Fruit broadly ovoid, compressed, enclosed in the hardened glume. DIS- 

 TRIB. Temp. Europe, Africa, and Asia : species 10. ETYM. An old 

 Greek name. 



1. B. me'dia, L. ; perennial, ligule short, spikelets ovate, empty glumes 

 shorter than the 1st fl. glume. 



Meadows and heaths, &c.. from Ross southd. ; ascends to 2,100 ft. in York- 

 shire ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. June. Stems solitary, creeping below, 

 6-18 in., very slender, smooth. Leaves flat, smooth or scabrid ; sheaths 

 smooth, upper inflated. Panicle pyramidal ; branches very long, capillary. 

 Spikelets 53 in., green or purplish, shining ; fl. glumes 5-9, sheathing one 

 another. DISTRIB. Europe, N. and W. Asia; introd. in N. America. 



2. B. mi'nor, L. ; annual, ligule long, empty glumes longer than the 

 1st fl. glume. 



Fields, Hants to Cornwall; Cork; Channel Islands; fl. July. Stems tufted, 

 4-10 in. Panicle almost as in B. me'dia, but spikelets more numerous, 

 smaller, in. diam., broader than long. DISTRIB. From France and Spain 

 to Turkey, N. Africa. 



38. PO'A, L. MEADOW-GRASS. 



Spikelets compressed, 2-many-fld., in branched 'usually effuse panicles ; 

 branches 2-nate or in J-whorla ; rachilla jointed between the fl. glumes. 

 Empty glumes 2, shorter than the lowest flowering, unequal, acute or ob- 

 tuse, keeled ; lower 1-3-nerved ; upper larger, 3-nerved, awnless. Fl. 

 glumes of ten webbed below, keeled, acute, 5-7-nerved, tips hyaline. Palea 

 2-fid, nerves 2 ciliate. Scales tumid below. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous ; 

 styles 2, short, terminal, stigmas feathery. Fruit obtusely 3-gonous, 

 grooved, enclosed in the glume, glabrous. DISTRIB. Chiefly cold and 

 temp, regions ; species 80. ETYM. ir6a, fodder. 



* Annual. Branches of the panicle solitary or 2-nate. 



1. P. an'nua, L. ; stems compressed, leaves obtuse, ligule long acute, 



branches of panicle 2-nate at length deflexed, fl. glumes 3-7 5-nerved. 



Waste places, &c. ; ascends to 3,200 ft. in the Highlands; Ireland; 



Channel Islands ; fl. April-Sept. Flaccid, bright green, sometimes 



glaucous, quite glabrous and smooth. Stems 6-12 in., weak. Leaves linear, 



subacute, often waved. Panicle 1-3 in., subpyramidal, snbsecund, green or 



purplish. Spikelets % in., subsessile ; empty glumes broadly hyaline, upper 



