CLASS in. ORDER II.] POA. 113 



mity. Glumellules small, acute. Anthers yellow. Stigmas fea- 

 thery. 



Habitat. — On the banks of streams, drains, and swampy situations ; 

 common. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



This, though a large coarse grass, is eaten by cattle with an apparent 

 relish, and contains a large proportion of nutritive matter. It forms 

 the principal winter provender in some parts of the fens of Lincolnshire 

 and Cambridgeshire, where it grows with so great rapidity and luxu- 

 riance, that it is sometimes mown three times during the summer. Its 

 quick growth and rapid wide-spreading stems, render it exceedingly 

 troublesome in drains and rivers ; so much so in the Isle of Ely, we 

 are informed by Mr. Curtis, as to render it necessary to cleanse them 

 with an instrument called a bear — a sort of roller, with numerous sharp 

 projecting pieces of iron, which is dragged up and down the river, to 

 cut or tear up the roots. 



2. P. flu' i tans, Scop. (Fig. 140.) floating Meadow-grass. Panicle 

 long, nearly erect, scarcely branched ; florets numerous, seven- 

 ribbed, with short intermediate ones at the base; leaves linear, 

 acute. 

 English Botany, t. 1520.— Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 43.— 

 Gh/ce'riaflu'itans, English Flora, vol. i. p. 117. — Lindley, Synopsis, 

 p. 315. — Sinclair, Hort. Gram. Woburn, p. 349. — Fes'tuca flu'itans, 

 Linn. 



Root with long, creeping, prostrate stems, thick, succulent, often 

 partly floating in water, putting out roots and stems from the joints ; 

 upper part erect, from one to three feet long, smooth, striated, leafy. 

 Leaves linear-lanceolate, acute, flat, roughish, the lower ones floating 

 on the surface of water. Sheaths long, smooth, finely striated, close, 

 and slightly compressed. Ligula oblong, acute, often torn. Inflores- 

 cence a very long, nearly erect, slender panicle, branched mostly at the 

 base, and spreading; the upper spikclets on short, simple stalks, and 

 erect. Spikclets linear, cylindrical, or slightly compressed. Glumes 

 unequal, thin, membranous, each with a single green rib. Florets from 

 eight to twelve. Glumclles equal ; the outer valve acute, or obtuse, 

 membranous towards the extremity, minutely hairy, seven-ribbed, with 

 short intermediate ones between them ; inner membranous, two-ribbed, 

 the margins inflexed, notched at the extremity. Glumellula of one 

 thick piece. Anthers small, yellow. Stigmas feathery. Seed oblong, 

 furrowed on one side. 



Habitat. — Pools, slow streams, and wet places; frequent. 



Perennial ; flowering from July to September. 



This grass is of little or no agricultural utility. The seeds are pur- 

 chased in the shops under the name of manna-seeds, and are said to be 



VOL. I. Q 



