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POA ALPINA. 



LiNN^us. HooKEE AND Aenott. Smith. Paenkll. Koch. Lindlet. 



Knapp. Willdbnow. Lightfoot. 



Scheadee. Host. Wahlenbbeg. Deakin. Sinclaie. Maceeight. 



KuNTn. Babington. Ralts. 



The Alpine Meadow-Grass. 



Poa — Grass. Alpina — Alpine. 



An early useless grass, generally growing at from three to 

 four thousand feet elevation. 



In England, found in Yorkshire; Wales, Caernarvon; Scot- 

 land, Perth, Porfar, Aberdeen, and Inverness. 



Native of France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Eussia, Nor- 

 way, Sweden, Lapland, Iceland, Greenland, and North America. 



Stem upright, circular, smooth, bearing two or three short 

 flat leaves, with smooth striated sheaths; upper sheath much 

 longer than its leaf, and having a lengthy membranous ligule 

 at the apex. Upper leaf folded, compressed, and rounded behind 

 the apex. Joints two, smooth. Inflorescence panicled. Panicle 

 compact and erect. Branches rough; basal ones in pairs. Spike- 

 lets broadly-ovate, commonly viviparous. Usually four awnless 

 florets; summit of basal floret extending beyond the calyx. 

 Calyx of two broad equal glumes, three-ribbed. Keels minutely 

 dentate. Florets not webbed, of two paleae; basal exterior one 



