71 



ton, vfho, in his ' Mailual/ has apparently taken much pains to point 

 out the differences between them individually, and between them 

 mutually and P. alpina, remarks, independent of peculiarities to be 

 noted in the uppermost leaf of each, that the uppermost node or 

 joint of the latter is exposed, while in the two former it is concealed 

 by the sheath of the lower leaf, — a character surely too dependent 

 upon the accidents of growth to be available in the establish- 

 ment of a variety, far less of a species. 



Like many other alpine grasses, the two above described are 

 often viviparous, and in this state they are scarcely distinguishable, 

 unless by their narrower foliage, from the corresponding form or 

 state of P. alpina. 



PoA ALPINA. Alpine Meadow Grass. Plate LVIII. 



Panicle erect, spreading when in flower. Spikelets ovate, three- 

 or four-flowered j flowers free (unconnected by a web). Lower 

 palea with three silky veins, and downy between them. Upper- 

 most leaf shorter than its sheath, " folded and rounded behind the 

 tip" ("cymbiform at the apex"). Leaves broadly linear, obtuse; 

 ligule of the upper ones oblong, acute, — of the lower ones short, 

 obtuse. 



Poa alpina, Linnaus. E. B. 1003 ; ed. 3. 126. Generally 

 adopted. 



A truly alpine species, very abundant in all the loftier moun- 

 tainous districts of Great Britain and Ireland, growing as well on 

 the highest peaks as on the sides of the rocky passes and valleys 

 that intersect them. Roots fibrous, tufted. Stems erect, six inches 

 to a foot in height, often enlarged at the base when growing in 

 very dry places, somewhat in the manner of those of P. bulbosa. 

 Leaves mostly radical, rather short compared with their breadth, 

 which, though exceedingly variable, is usually much greater than 

 that of the other species (?) of this section of the genus : they have 

 a glaucous hue, and terminate more or less obtusely, but are 

 furnished with a short indexed point or mucro : the uppermost are 

 in general strikingly distinguished from the lower by the form of 

 the ligule, which, though not always positively acute, is consider- 

 ably elongated, instead of being short and ending abruptly. Pa- 

 nicle about two inches long^ ovate in the general outline, spread- 

 ing its short branches at the time of flowering, but contracting 

 afterwards so as sometimes to appear almost spicate. Spikelets 

 broadly ovate, in luxuriant specimens four- or five-flowered. 

 Glumes ovate-lanceolate, compressed ; the middle or keel-vein, of 

 the outer one especially, rough, and terminating beyond the apex 

 of the glume in a short stiff point or awn ; the two lateral veins 



