CLASS III. ORDBR II. J 



MELICA. 109 



texture, shining, roughish, the margins fringed, pointed, not awned ; 

 inner valve about half as narrow, thin, membranous, ribbed, smooth, 

 bifid at the apex. Ghnnellules linear, lanceolate. Stigmas large. 

 Anthers large, yellow. 



Habitat. — Very rare. This interesting plant was discovered by Mr. 

 G. Don, in a narrow valley called Kella, in Angus-shire, Scotland. 



Perennial ; flowering in July. 



This species like all others of the genus has the peculiar smell of new 

 mown hay, similar to Anthoxan'thum odora'tianjhnt in a much greater 

 degree, so much so, that according to Dr. Hooker, in Iceland, it 

 is so plentiful as to be used by the people to scent their apartments and 

 clothes ; and it is said to be esteemed in Sweden for its narcotic effects. 

 The produce of this grass in spring is very small and of a very tender 

 nature ; these, together with its strong spreading underground stems, 

 render it a grass of no agricultural merit, a circumstance which is to 

 be regretted, as it contains a greater proportion of nutritive matter than 

 many of the early grasses. 



GENUS XXXIV. MEL'ICA. Linn. 3Ielic Grass. 



Gen. Char. Panicle loose. Spikelets one or two flowered, with the 

 rudiments of one or more imperfect ones. Glumes two, nearly 

 equal, about as long as the florets. Glumelles two, unequal, awn- 

 less, becoming hard, and investing the fruit. — Name probably 

 derived from f^sXa, honey, mel. Melica, or Melliga, is also a 

 name given in Italy to the common Millet (Sorghum vulga're) ; 

 and some resemblance between it and the present genus, may 

 have been the reason of Linnaeus giving it this name. 



\. M. nu'tans, Linn. (Fig. 1.36.) mountain Melic-grass. Panicle 

 drooping, nearly a simple raceme; spikelets pendulous on one 

 side, containing two perfect florets. 



English Botany, t. 1059. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 113. — Liudley, 

 Synopsis, p. 307. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 41. 



Root with creeping underground stems. Stem from one to two feet 

 high, nearly erect, simple, slender, roughish, striated and angular, leafy 

 below. Leaves narrow, linear, acute, the lower ones much shorter than 

 the upper, with a roughish margin. Sheaths striated, roughish. Li- 

 gula very short. Inflorescence a slightly drooping nearly simple ra- 

 ceme, sometimes quite simple. Spikelets on short rough stalks, hang- 

 ing to one side. Glumes ovate, nearly as long as the florets, smooth, 

 a deep purplish brown, the margins pale, nearly equal, the external one 

 smallest, each five or seven-ribbed. Perfect Jlorets two, the lower ses- 

 sile, the upper on a short stalk. Glumelles unequal, cartilaginous ; the 

 oMter valve ovate lanceolate, concave, roughish, strongly and nurae- 



