﻿GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 103 



a long ragged pointed ligule ; the second sheath extending beyond 

 the first joint. Joints about seven, smooth. Leaves rather long and 

 linear, roughish on both surfaces, the lower ones flat, the upper ones 

 generally folded, compressed, the central rib on the back extending 

 down the sheath. Inflorescence mostly simple panicled. Panicle near- 

 ly erect, long and slender, with slender roughish branches arranged 

 alternately on the rachis mostly in pairs of unequal lengths, for the 

 most part erect, but while flowering strongly divaricated for a time. 

 Spikelets few, long and linear, (Fig. 3), variegated with green and 

 white, of six to fourteen florets ; the summit of the lower floret ex- 

 tending considerably beyond the large glume of the calyx. Calyx of 

 two very unequal, obtuse, membranous glumes (Fig. 1) icithout late- 

 ral ribs. Florets not webbed, of two palese (Fig. 2), the outer palea 

 of lowermost floret seven-ribbed; the dorsal rib scarcely extending to 

 the 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 marginal ribs minutely fringed 

 on the upper half. 



Q 0St — Poa fluitans, from the general appearance of the slender 

 panicle and long linear spikelets, can scarcely be confounded with 

 any of the other Poas. The only grass that it can well be mistaken 

 for is Bucetum loliaceum, but is readily distinguished from it, in the 

 outer palea having seven ribs, and the dorsal rib minutely toothed the 

 whole length;- whereas in B. loliaceum the outer palea has but 

 five ribs and the dorsal rib perfectly smooth ; independent of many 

 other characters. 



This grass grows naturally in wet or muddy places, in ditches, 

 ponds, and margins of rivulets, and will bear cultivation on mode- 

 rately dry grounds as a permanent pasture grass, and yield a consi- 

 derable produce. Cattle will eat it, but there are many grasses they 

 like better. In several parts of Germany, this grass is cultivated for 

 the seeds, which form the manna-croup of the shops, and are consi- 

 dered a delicacy in soups and gruels. Birds and trout, it is said, are 

 fond of the seeds, which, when ground into meal, make bread very 

 little inferior to that made from wheat. 



