76 TRIANDRIA DIOYNTA 



4. P. oompucssa, /„ Culm decumbent or oblique, much compressed, 

 smooth; panicle contracted, somewhat secund ; Hpikclcts ovate-oblong, 

 •J to 6-flowered. Beck, Bot. p. 410. Specjm. Gray, Gram, 1. wo. 59. 



Compressed Poa. Vtdgd — Blue grass. Wire grass. 



Gallice — Paturin applati, Qermanici — Rehwascn. 



Root perennial, creeping. Culm 12 to 18 inches high, decumbont, nodose and 

 radicating at base, much compressed, striate, smooth. J.< aves short, line ar, keel* 

 ed, nerved, smooth , scabrous near the end, and. with the culm, of a 1 luish gre< n : 

 sheaths rather loose, striate, smooth ; ligule short, ol tuse. P contract* d, at 



first almost spiked, rather secund, finally a little expanding : branches 1 y 2\s and 

 3*s, short, somewhat flexuose, scabrous. Spikelets generally 5 or C-flowcred, sub- 

 sessile. Glumes nearly equal, acute, serrulate on the keel. Lower palca ovate* 

 oblong, rather obtuse, (sometimes acute,) minun ly rough ish puberulent, generally 

 dark purple near the apex, with a narrow, white, scari ois margin ; upper palea 

 lance-linear, scabrous on the two keels. See I oblong, reddish brown. 



Hob. Fields, pastures, and dry hills: common. /'/.June. Fr. July. 



<)bs. This well known crass affords a good nutritious pasture for cattle,— but is 

 not so much esteemed as the P.pratenstej or green meadow grass; and it is ^ »me- 

 times rather troublesome, in the rotation of cro] s, I y its tenacity < flife. Dr. 7a-- 

 rey notices a slender vurielit, with 2 to 3-flowered spikelets. Growing in dry wo d- 

 lands, which may, perhaps, be native : Hut I suspect the comm »n Blue rassnf our 

 pastures is an introduced plant li certainly has as much the appearand e of being 

 a foreigner as P. pratensis. 



• *> 



Florets free, or not webbed at base. 



5. P. annua, L. Culm oblique, compressed ; panicle spreading, at 

 length divaricate; spikelets ovate-oblong, about 6-flowered; florets a 



little remote. Beck, Bot. p. 409. Spscim. Gray, Gram. '1. no. 118. 



Annual Poa. 



Gallice — Paturin annuel. Cermanice — Jachrigos Rispcngras. 



Root annual. Culm cespltose, 3 to 8 inches long, ol llquo, ( iftm nearly procum- 

 bent,) geniculate, glabrous. Leaves lance-linear, ke< led, rial roes, minutely ser- 

 rulate on the margin, short : sheaths loose, smooth ; li^u/e oblong, dentate. Pain- 

 els sometimes rather secund ; branches generally s litary, subdivided, at length 

 spreading horizontally. &pikeUts rather crowded on the divisions of the branches, 

 3 or 1 to ti-rlowercd. Glumes unequal, lance-ovate, acuminate. Pal etc minutely 

 pubescent ; lower one ovate, obtuse, 5-nerved ; upper one a little shorter, lance- 

 linear, white, with two green marginal keels. 



Hub. Cultivated grounds; foot paths, Ax. frequent. Fl. April -Sept. Fr, June— Oct. 



Obs. This humble species is believed to have been introduced from Europe. 



6. P. nervata, IVilld. Panicle large, loose, diffuse ; branches very 

 slender, at length pendulous ; spikelets ovate-oblong, about {^flowered; 

 florets obtuse, conspicuously 7-nerveil ; ligulc oblong-ovate, lacerate. 

 Beck, Bot. p. 411. Specim. Gray, Gram. 1. no. 57. 



P. striata. Mx.Am. l.p.69. Also? Pers. Syn. I. p. 89. 



.llso, P. lineata. Pers. Syn. I, p. 89. 



Also? P. parviflora. Pursh, Am. 1. /;. 80. Ell? Sk. 1. /;. 157, 



JSTutt ? Gen. 1. p. 67. Eat. .Man. <>. 269. 



