THE GENERA AND THEIR SPECIES. 127 



Stems numerous, decumbent, and geniculate at base, often slanting, 

 scaly, striated, leafy. Leaves tapering, broad, short, flat, ribs 

 low, rough above, seldom folded, hooded at apex, glaucous. 

 Sheaths long, smooth, spiral, deeply slit, uppermost longer than 

 leaf ; ligule short, blunt, notched. Panicle erect, spreading, 

 angular ; branches long, distant, lower deflexed ; branches rough, 

 rachis rough, compressed on one side. Spikelets linear, small, 

 flattened, not webbed, florets three or more. Glumes unequal, 

 obtuse, inner, the larger, with three ribs, outer with one rib. 

 Outer palea longer than glumes, blunt, with five ribs, the central 

 rib not extending to apex, deeply concave, edges not involute 

 inner palea small. 



83. P. procumbens. Salt marshes and sandy places near the 

 sea ; ranging through the Northern Hemisphere. July and 

 August. Root annual, fibrous. Stems tufted, numerous, pro- 

 cumbent, rigid, smooth, leafy. Leaves flat, ribbed, rough 

 above, smooth beneath. Sheaths long, smooth, tumid, ribbed, 

 uppermost longer than leaf ; ligule pointed, long, torn. Panicle 

 compact, rigid, small, branches rough, in pairs turning one way, 

 not deflexed, rachis rough, three-sided. Spikelets in two rows, 

 linear, florets four or more. Glumes unequal, small, inner with 

 three ribs, outer with one rib. Outer palea hairy at base, with 

 five ribs, middle rib extending beyond apex ; inner palea narrow 

 fringed 



Variety — 



P. bovveri. Leaves involute, rough on both sides, 



short, flat, abruptly hooded at apex ; 

 sheaths long ; keel of outer palea 

 sharply pointed. 



84. P. rigida. Quarries, tops of walls, and other dry 

 places in limestone districts throughout Central and Southern 

 Europe. June and July. Root annual, fibrous, tufted, woolly. 

 Stems several, tough, wiry, slender, decumbent at first, then erect ; 

 nodes three or four. Leaves narrow, short, involute, tapering, 



