﻿GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 73 



Inner palea rather shorter than the outer palea, entire at the summit, 

 minutely fringed at the margins. Pedicle of the second floret slight- 

 ly hairy. Filaments three in the barren florets, two in the perfect 

 floret, capillary, rather longer than the floret. Anthers prominent, 

 pendulous, notched at each end, of a bleached appearance. Ova- 

 rium ovate, acute. Styles two, distinct. Stigmas feathery, protrud- 

 ing beyond the palea. Scales narrow, acute. 



Although this is one of the earliest of our flowering grasses, it 

 cannot be recommended with advantage to the notice of agricultu- 

 rists, as its powerful creeping root, and its great deficiency of spring 

 foliage, are disadvantages which are not compensated by any merits 

 the grass possesses. 



This is a very rare British grass, found several years ago by the 

 late G. Don, in the valley called Kella, Forfarshire, but has not since 

 been discovered by any other botanist. It is a native of Lapland, 

 Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, Kamtchatka, and Russian 

 America. 



Flowers early in May, and ripens its seed in June. 



In Prussia, this grass is strewed before the doors of churches on 

 festival days, and in Sweden it is sold to be suspended over beds, as it 

 is supposed to induce sleep. 



51. POA PRATENSIS.* 



Smooth- Stalked Meadow- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Florets webbed.f Outer palea five-ribbed. 

 The marginal ribs hairy. Uppermost sheath much longer than its leaf. 

 (Plate XXXI.) 



Description. — Its usual height from a foot to fifteen inches. The 

 root is perennial, in loose sandy soil extensively creeping. Stem 

 erect, smooth, round, bearing three or four leaves with smooth, striat- 

 ed sheaths ; the upper sheath much longer than its leaf, crowned 



* Poa pratensis, Linn. Koch, Hooker, Smith, Greville. 



t That is, the lowermost florets connected at their base by a web of long silky fila- 

 ments, suspending the calyx ; which may be distinctly seen by gently detaching the ca- 

 lyx from the florets. (See Plates XXXI. to XXXVII. Figs. 1 and 2.) 



