Schlerochloa.] gramine^. 



599 



XXII. Schlerochloa, P. de Beauv. Meadow-grass. 



" Glumes shorter than the lowest flowers," " unequal membra- 

 naceous. Outer pale with 5 faint but distinct and parallel nerves, 

 membranous, cylindrical below, unarmed, often keeled at the tip 

 or with a very minute mucro." " Styles very short," " terminal." 

 —Bab. -Man. 



1. S. rigida, L. Hard Meadow-grass. "Panicle lanceolate 

 (or sometimes a simple linear spike-like raceme) disticho-secund 

 (rigid), spikelets linear acute of 7 — 10 florets, outer glumeUa 

 faintly 5 -nerved obtuse with a mucro, glumes acute unequal, upper 

 one reaching to the base of the third floret, root fibrous." — Br. Fl. 

 p. 536. E. B. t. 1371. Host Gram. Aust. ii. 53, t. 74. 



On dry barren and waste ground, walls, rocks and cliffs. Fl. June. 0. 



E. Med. — Amongst the ruins of Quarr abbey. On the Dover, Ryde. On 

 cliffs near Ventnor, St. Lawrence, &c. On tbe wall or bank of masonry below 

 the church at Newchurcb, in considerable plenty, 1843. At Yarbridge, 1845. 

 By the roadside between Niton and Blackgang, at the foot of the stone walls, 

 pretty abundantly, 1842. 



W. Afed.— Abundant in dry chalky fields at the foot of High down, between the 

 Needles hotel and Alum bay. Cornfield near Calbourne New Barn. Shide 

 chalk-pit, &c. ; rather common throughout the island: B. T. W. 



2. S. loliacea, Huds. Dwarf Wheat Meadoiv-grass. " Spike 

 rigid usually simple unilateral (rarely branched), spikelets linear- 

 oblong of about 8 — 13 florets, outer glumella faintly 5-nerved ob- 

 tuse with a mucro, glumes obtuse nearly equal, upper one reaching 

 to the base of the fourth floret, root fibrous." — Br. Fl. Poa, 

 Br. Fl. p. 537. Triticum loliaceum, Sm. : E. B. t. 221. 



On dry barren ground, walls, cliffs and pastures by the sea. Fl. June, July. 

 0. 



E. Med. — On Eyde Dover, sparingly. Sandown bay. St. Catherine's point, 

 not far from the new lighthouse. St. Helens, Dr. Macreight, Man. of Br. Bot., 

 where I also find it, July, 1839. [On the earthy top of the sea-wall close to 

 Puekpool wicket, near Ryde, Dr. Bell-Sailer. The Esplanade, Ventnor, id. — Edrs.] 



W. Med.—Y&vmouih, D. Turner, Esq., B. T. W. [Compton bay, Dr. Bell- 

 Sailer, Edrs.J 



A small stiff grass, with much of the habit of P. rigida. Boot of many slender 

 downy fibres. Slems several, 3 — 6 inches high, smooth and shining, clothed for 

 the most part with the long close sheaths of the leaves. Leaves linear, flat, many- 

 lihbed and smooth at the edges. Spikes erect, of many rather distant lanceolate 

 spikelets, unilateral on the angular flexuose rachis ; the lower ones usually com- 

 pound or 2 or 3 together, the uppermost single. Glumes 8 — 10 flowered, nearly 

 equal, obtuse, much shorter than the florets, each with four or five strong dark 

 green ribs, variable in breadth, the two middle ones much the longest. Palete 

 green edged with white ; outer one obscurely 5-ribbed, smooth at the margin, 

 concave, obtuse ; inner one flat, 2-ribbed, a little pointed, bristly on the edges. 

 Styles 2, distant ; stigmas branched. 



The whole plant in very dry seasons or places assumes a deep purple colour. 



3. S. procumbens, Curt. Procumbent Sea Meadow-grass. Pa- 

 nicle compact ovato-lanceolate, the branches 2-ranked unilateral, 

 spOselets secund linear-lanceolate of about four florets which are 



