﻿88 GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 



pending the calyx ; the ligules scarcely perceptible, and the second 

 sheath not reaching to the first joint. (See Plate XXXVI.) 



This grass proves to be an addition to the British Flora ; first dis- 

 covered by Dr Greville, who gathered several dozen specimens in 1835, 

 on Ben-Law ers, Perthshire, at an elevation of about 3600 feet above the 

 sea. As this is such a well-marked species, there is no difficulty in dis- 

 tinguishing it from the other Poas, and seems undoubtedly to be the 

 Poa nemoralis montana of Koch, who describes it in his Synopsis Florae 

 Germanise et Helvetica?, in the following words : *' Culmi graciles^ 

 panicula vara, spiculis magnis 3-5 floris parce obsita ; rami panicula? 

 1-3 spiculas gerentes, spiculse tenuiter et longe pedicellatse. Varietas 

 insignis." 



Flowers in July. Its agricultural merits are not known. 



59. Poa cassia.* 

 Glaucous Meadow- Grass. 



Specific Character, — Florets not webbed. Uppermost joint near 

 the base of the stem. Branches of the panicle rough. Glumes near- 

 ly equal, acute, the inner glume three-ribbed. Outer palea five- 

 ribbed. (Plate XL.) 



Description. — It grows from six to twelve inches high. The root 

 is perennial, fibrous, woolly. Stem erect, flattish, slightly roughish 

 towards the upper part, bearing two or three leaves with short smooth 

 striated sheaths ; upper sheath about equal in length to its leaf, re- 

 mote from the panicle, leaving two-thirds of the stem naked; crowned 

 with a distinct obtuse ligule, (Fig. 5) ; second sheath extending beyond 

 the first joint Joints two, very remote from the panicle. Leaves short, 

 flat, acute, roughish on the inner surface and margins, smooth behind. 

 Inflorescence panicled. Panicle erect, rather small, the branches 

 rough, the lower ones in pairs. Spikelets ovate, of three or four awn- 

 less florets ; the summit of the lower floret extending beyond the large 

 glume of the calyx. Calyx of two broad acute nearly equal glumes, 

 (Fig. 1), three-ribbed, the middle rib minutely toothed on the 

 upper part. Florets not webbed ; of two palea? (Fig. 2) ; the outer 



* Poa ccesia, Koch. Poa glauca, Smith. 

 3 



