82 TKIANDKIA DIGYNIA. [cL. III. 



rowed, unilateral, with smooth stalk ; spikelets of about seven acute, 



scarcely-ribbed flowers. Eoot fibrous : stems from three to eight 



inches high, extremely stiff and firm : flowers cylindrical, slightly 

 keeled : the whole plant generally brownish. Perennial : flowers 

 in June : grows in dry gravelly places, and on walls : not uncom- 

 mon. Eng. Bot. vol. xx. pi. 1371. Eng. FL vol. i. p. 120. 155. 



30. PO'A. MEADOW-GRASS. 



Calyx of two unequal, egg-shaped, acute, keeled, awnless 

 chaff-scales, containing an egg-shaped spikelet of two-rowed, im- 

 bricated, awnless, perfect flowers, frequently connected at the 

 base by a web of white cottony filaments. Corolla of two un- 

 equal husks ; the outer egg-shaped, acute, keeled, compressed, 

 entire, membranous at the edges ; the inner narrower, with two 

 nearly marginal ribs, inflected membranous edges, and a cleft 

 summit. Nectary a deeply-cleft scale. Filaments hair-like, 

 longer than the corolla ; anthers pendulous, oblong, cleft at both 

 ends. Germen egg-shaped. Styles very short; stigmas fea- 

 thery, spreading. Seed oblong, acute, loose, covered with the 

 unaltered husks. Name, poa, grass, from pao, to feed. 46. 



1. P. compre'ssa. Flat-stalked Meadow-grass. Panicle somewhat 

 unilateral, spreading ; straw compressed ; spikelets oblong ; flowers 



connected by a web ; root creeping. Straw decumbent at the 



base, about a foot high : panicle with rough angular branches : 

 spikelets from three to eight flowers : outer husk five-ribbed, rough 

 on the keel. Perennial : flowers in June, July, and August : grows 

 in waste ground, and on walls : not uncommon. Eng. Bot. vol. vi. 

 pi. 365. Eng. FL vol. i. p. 121. 156. 



2. P. alpina. Alpine Meadow-grass. Panicle spreading ; spikelets 

 egg-shaped, four or five-flowered; flowers somewhat incurved, 



hairy at the base. Boot fibrous : straws from four to eight inches 



high, erect : leaves linear, flat, bluntish, with a small point, rough 

 at the edges : spikelets broad : chaff-scales keeled, three-ribbed : 

 inner husk fringed at the ribs. Perennial : flowers in July and 

 August : grows abundantly on the higher mountains of Scotland 

 and Wales : common. Eng. Bot. vol. xiv. pi. 1003. Eng. FL vol. i. 

 p. 122. 157. 



3. P. Idxa. Waved Meadow-grass. Panicle drooping, loosely 

 spreading, waved ; spikelets egg-shaped, three-flowered ; flowers 



connected by a web. Root slightly creeping: the whole plant 



somewhat glaucous : leaves linear, roughish above : panicle with 

 waved branches : spikelets broad : chaff-scales keeled. Perennial : 

 flowers in July : found by Mr. J. T. Mackay, on Bennevis. Eng. 

 Bot. pi. 1123. Eng. FL vol. i. p. 123. 158. 



4. P. bulbosa. Bulbous Meadow-grass. Panicle close, slightly 

 waved ; spikelets egg-shaped, four-flowered ; flowers smoothish, 

 connected by a web ; leaves finely serrated ; straw bulbous at the 

 base. Straws four or five inches high : panicle oblong : spike- 

 lets egg-shaped : chaff-scales rough on the keel : outer husk hairy 

 on the keel, with a continuation of the web, the inner fringed. 

 Perennial : flowers in April and May : grows on the sandy sea- 

 shore in some parts of England : rare. Eng, Bot. vol. xv. pi. 1071. 

 Eng. FL vol. i. p. 123. 159. 



