﻿GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 101 



shady woods of rich soils, and is of rather rare occurrence. Found 

 in Kinross, Dumbarton, Perth, and Roslin wood ; occasionally in 

 Ireland. In England, in the counties of W estmoreland, Worcester, 

 and Sussex ; also a native of France and Germany. Not found in 

 America. Its limit of altitude is about 700 feet above the sea. 

 Flowers in the second week of July. 



67. POA AQUATICA.* 



Reed Meadow- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Florets not webbed. Spikelets ovate. Outer 

 palea seven-ribbed. (Plate XLIV.) 



Description. — It grows from three to six feet high. The root is pe- 

 rennial, creeping. Stem erect, stout, smooth, striated, a little com- 

 pressed ; bearing seven or eight leaves with slightly roughish sheaths ; 

 the upper sheath longer than its leaf, crowned with a short obtuse ligule. 

 Joints about seven, smooth. Leaves long, broad, and flat, terminating 

 in a rough point ; the inner surface smooth ; the margins rough ; the 

 central rib on the under surface, which is also rough, extends down 

 the sheath. Inflorescence compound panicled. Panicle erect, large ; 

 the branches rough, arranged alternately on the rachis in half whorls. 

 Spikelets numerous, of four to eight florets, erect, of a brownish 

 tinge ; the upper ones large and ovate, the lower ones smaller and 

 more linear. Calyx of two unequal membranous obtuse glumes 

 (Fig. 1,) without lateral ribs. Florets not webbed, of two awnless pa- 

 lese (Fig. 2); the outer palea of lowermost floret seven-ribbed, the dor- 

 sal rib extending to the very summit, minutely toothed the whole length ; 

 the lateral ribs more or less rough, but without hairs. Inner palea 

 rather shorter than the outer, bifid, furnished with two green mar- 

 ginal ribs minutely fringed on the upper half. Stigmas compound, 

 feathery. Styles a little distant, longer than the stigmas. 



Poa aquatica, from its large size and broad leaves, cannot be mis- 

 taken for any of the other Poas ; and if we pay attention to the form 

 of the awnless spikelets, I cannot see with what Scottish grass it can 

 be confounded. 



* Poa aquatica, Linn. Hooker, Greville. Glyceria aquatica, Smith, Hydrochloa aqua- 

 tica, Lindley, 



