114 POA. [class III. OllDER II. 



used in some parts of Germany and Holland, as well as in Poland, as 

 a great delicacy in soup and other articles of food. In some parts of 

 Germany, Schreber says, it is cultivated for tlie value of the seeds. 

 Small birds are very fond of the sweet unripe seeds ; and the fine sharp 

 bran is said to be useful in destroying intestinal worms in horses, but 

 Sinclair observes, " they must be kept from water some hours after- 

 wards." 



3. P. marit'ima, Hudson, (Fig. 141.) creeping Sea Meadotv-grass. 

 Panicle erect, rather close ; spikelets of about five obtuse florets, 

 outer valve five-ribbed ; leaves involute ; root with creeping stems. 



English Botany, t. 1140. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 44. — Gly- 

 ce'ria marit'ima, English Flora, vol. i. p. 118. — Sclero'chloa marit'ima, 

 Lindley, Synopsis, p. 315. 



Root with numerous creeping tindergrotmd sterns, putting out nume- 

 rous fibres and stems from the joints. Whole plant a glaucous-green. 

 Sterns numerous, bent at the base, about a foot high, rigid, smooth, 

 and leafy, except at the top it is rather rough. Leaves linear, the edges 

 mostly rolled inwards, sharp-pointed, the upper side and margins 

 roughish. Sheaths long, rather swelled, smooth, finely striated. Li- 

 gula obtuse. Inflorescence a rather close, rough, branched panicle, 

 arising mostly on one side, and spreading only when in flower. Spike- 

 lets ]mea.r, cjlinivical. Ghimes unequal; the outer smallest, single- 

 ribbed ; the inner with a sharp point and two rough ribs, the mem- 

 branous margins inflexed. Glumellules acute. Anthers yellow. Stig- 

 mas feathery. Seed small, pointed at each extremity. 



Habitat. — In wet places on the sea-coast; frequent. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



4. P. dis'tans, Linn. (Fig. 142.) reflexed Meadoiv-grass. Panicle 

 erect, spreading, its branches at length deflexed ; spikelets of about 

 five obtuse floiets, outer valve v\ith five indistinct ribs ; leaves flat; 

 root fibrous. 



English Botany, t. 986. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 318. — Hooker, Bri- 

 tish Flora, vol. i. p. 44. — Sinclair', Hort. Gram. Woburn. p. 323. — 

 Ghjce'ria dis'tans, English Flora, vol. i. p. 118. 



Root fibrous. Whole plant a glaucous green, tufted. Stems nu- 

 merous, bent at the base, round, smooth, leafy, from one to two feet 

 high. Leaves linear, flat, smooth on the under side, roughish on the 

 upper. Sheaths smooth, striated, the upper ones longest, slightly 

 inflated. Ligula short, striated, obtuse, notched or torn. Inflores- 

 cence an erect, spreading panicle ; its branches slender, angular, rough- 

 ish, attached to the rachis by a swollen joint, in alternate half whorls, 

 singularly bent downwards as the plant advances to maturity, by which 

 character it may readily be distinguished from its allied species. 

 Spikelets short, somewhat compressed, shining, and sometimes tinged 



