POA ANNUA. 129 



POA ANNUA. 



LINN^US. HOOKER AND ARNOTT. SMITH. PARNELL. GREVILLE. KOCH. 



WILLDENOW. CURTIS. MARTYN. STILLINGFLEET. KNAPP. 

 SCHRADER. HOST. LEERS. EHRHART. DEAKIN. SINCLAIR. LlNDLEY. 



KUNTH. MACREIGHT. BABINGTON. REICHENBACH. DILLWYN. 

 RALFS. HUDSON. WITHERING. HULL. RELHAN. SIBTHORP. ABBOT. 



PLATE XL. B. 



The Annual Meadow- Grass. 

 Poa Grass. Annua An annual. 



THE commonest of all Grasses, growing in any conceivable situation, 

 and flowering throughout the summer. Found in all altitudes up 

 to four thousand feet. Not a profitable agricultural Grass. 



Found also in France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, 

 Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Lapland, North Africa, North Asia, and 

 in North and South America. 



Stem ascending, most procumbent at the base, smooth, flattish, 

 bearing four or five smooth, flat, flaccid, sword-shaped, vivid green 

 leaves, often crumpled on the margins, with smooth compressed sheaths; 

 upper sheath longer than its leaf, having a thin membranous acute 

 ligule at the apex. Inflorescence compound-panicled. Panicle upright, 

 outline triangular and spreading. Branches smooth, mostly in pairs. 

 Spikelets ovate-oblong, mostly of five to eight awnless florets, commonly 

 tinged with green, white, and purple; apex of basal floret stretching 

 beyond the large glume of the calyx. Calyx of two unequal acute 

 glumes, three-ribbed, dorsal rib dentate above. Florets of two paleae, 

 not webbed; exterior one of basal floret five-ribbed; ribs smooth. 

 Inner palea membranous, shorter, having two green marginal ribs. 

 Filaments three. Anthers brief, pendulous, and notched at either 

 extremity. Styles two, short and naked. Stigmas feathery. Length 





