116 POA. [class lil. ORDER II. 



rather distant. Glumelles nearly equal: the outer obtuse, five-ribbed ; 

 the inner membranous, with two marginal hairy ribs, mostly bifid at 

 the apex. Glumellules acute. Stigmas feathery. Anthers small, 

 yellow. Seed compressed. 



Habitat. — In salt marshes near the sea. St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol ; 

 Essex ; Scarborough ; Yarmouth ; and other places. Apparently not 

 rare. 



Annual ; flowering from June to August. 



6. P. ri'gida, Linn. (Fig. 144.) hard Meadow-grass. Panicle erect, 

 rigid, lanceolate; spikelets two-ranked, leaning one way, linear, 

 of about seven nearly ribless florets; root fibrous. 



English Botany, t. 1371. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 44. — 

 Glyce'ria ri'gida, English Flora, vol. i. p. 120. — Sclera' chloa ri'gida, 

 Lindley, Synopsis, p. 316. 



A very rigid and wiry plant, varying from a light green lo a dark 

 purplish colour. Root of numerous branched fibres. Stem from two 

 to six inches high, branched, and bent at the base, or simple and erect, 

 smooth, repeatedly jointed and leafy below. Leaves short, striated, the 

 margins more or less rolled inwards, roughish on the upper side, 

 smooth beneath. Sheaths short, smooth, striated. Ligula oblong, 

 obtuse, mostly torn. Inflorescence a rather close, two-ranked panicle. 

 Spikelets linear, turned to one side, arising from the angular zigzag 

 rachis on short, smooth, angular, simple, or branched stalks. Glumes 

 unequal, lanceolate, the smaller with a single dorsal rib, the larger 

 with a dorsal and two lateral ribs. Florets about seven, rather distant, 

 smoothish. Glumelles nearly equal : outer valve obtuse, \\ith mem- 

 branous edges, scarcely ribbed ; inner with two lateral, roughish ribs, 

 bifid at the apex. Anthers short. Stigmas feathery. 



Habitat. — Crevices of walls and rocks, and dry sandy situations; 

 not uncommon. 



Annual; flowering in June. 



7. P. compress'a, Linn. (Fig. 145.) flat-stemmed Meadotc-grass. 

 Panicle rather close, spreading when in flower, partially leaning 

 one way ; spikelets ovate, oblong ; florets from five to seven, con- 

 nected by a web at the base; stem compressed; root with creeping 

 stems. 



English Botany, t. 365. — English Flora, vol. i. p, 121. — Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 316. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 45. — Sinclair, Hort. 

 Gram. Woburn. p. 306. 



The whole plant is more or less of a glaucous green. Root with 

 creeping stems. Stems procumbent, leafy, and often branched at the 

 base, naked above, roughish, striated, and remarkably compressed. 

 Leaves short, flat, linear, keeled and striated, smooth beneath, roughish 

 on the upper side and edges. Sheaths rather long, somewhat inflated. 



