115 



POA PKATENSIS. 



LlNNiEUS. IIOOKEE AND ArNOTT. PaKNELL. 



Koch. Smith. Geeville. Rales. Abbot. Sibthoep. Eelhax. 



Hull. Withebing-. Hudson. Scheadeb. Willdesow. 



Cuetis. Knapp. Dickson. Sinclaie. Babington. Deakin. 



plate xxxvi. 



Poa angustifolia, LiNNiEUS, (var. subccerulea, of Hooker/ 



" subsoerulea, Smith. 



The Smooth- Stalked Meadow- Grass. 



Poa — Grass. Pratensis — Of a meadow. 



The present common species, known from all other Grasses in 

 having the lower florets webbed, is an early Grass, yielding a 

 large crop, and liked by cattle. It is not, however, recommended 

 to agriculturists, on account of its creeping roots, which are 

 calculated to impoverish the soil. 



Native of England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, 

 Switzerland, Portugal, Prussia, Germany, Lapland, Norway, 

 Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, United States, and Northern Asia. 



Grows from the sea-level, to three thousand feet altitude. 



Stem upright, circular, polished; bearing three or four linear, 

 flat, acute leaves, (edges rough,) with smooth striated sheaths. 

 Upper sheath considerably longer than its leaf, having at its 

 apex a blunt membranous ligule. Joints smooth. Inflorescence 

 panicled, upright, and spreading, lower branches usually in threes 

 or fives. Spikelets ovate, from three to five florets. Calyx of 

 two almost equal-sized acute glumes; three-ribbed, the upper 

 portion of the dorsal rib dentate. Florets of two awnless 



u 



