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GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 99 



toothed on the upper part, and protruding slightly beyond the summit 

 of the palea (Fig. 4). Inner palea about equal in length to the outer 

 palea, with two green marginal ribs minutely toothed. 



Obs. — Poa loliacea, from its great similarity in structure and ha- 

 bit to Poa rigida, is on some occasions with difficulty distinguished 

 from it, particularly when the panicle of the former becomes 

 branched, which is sometimes the case. The most constant character, 

 although rather minute, is in the summit of the upper glume in Poa 

 loliacea reaching to the base of the fourth floret ; — whereas in Poa 

 rigida it reaches only to the base of the third floret. 



This grass is of no agricultural utility. Grows in small tufts along 

 the sea-coast on rocks and hard sandy soils. Frequent on the coast 

 of Fife ; occasionally met with in Ireland ; more frequent in Eng- 

 land, in the counties of Northumberland, Durham, Cumberland, Lan- 

 cashire, York, Flints, Anglesea, Glamorgan, Cambridge, Norfolk, 

 Suffolk, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Hants, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, and 

 Cornwall ; also a native of France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and 

 Italy. Not found in America, or further north than latitude 59°. 



Flowers in the second week of July, and ripens its seed in the mid- 

 dle of August. 



66. Poa sylvatica.* 

 Wood Peed Meadow- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Florets not webbed, Outer palea three-rib- 

 bed, rough; the dorsal rib serrated its whole length. (Plate XLIV.) 



Description. — It grows from two to three feet high. The root is 

 perennial, creeping, tufted. Stem round, erect, and slender, slight- 

 ly roughish to the touch, bearing three or four leaves, with rough 

 striated sheaths ; the upper sheath longer than its leaf, crowned with 

 a prominent obtuse membranous ligule ; lower sheaths shorter than 

 their leaves ; the radical extremity of the stem imbricated with large, 

 broad, acute scales, of a brownish colour, more or less polished, 

 (Fig. 6.) Joints four, smooth ; the two uppermost naked. Leaves 



* Poa sylvatica, Pollich. Festuca calamaria, Smith, Hooker. Schedonorus sylvaticus 

 I indie v. 



