TiiK Gkassks ok Tknnksskk. 1(>7 



hlade flat, smooth, spreadinjar, o"c ^^ one and one-half lines wide, 

 one to three inches lon^. Panicle short, pyramidal, the primary 

 branches spreadinj^. solitary or in pairs. Spikelets ovate orohlonj^, 

 three to six- llowered, about two lines lonj;; empty flumes some- 

 what unequal, the first one- the second three-nerved; flowering 

 glumes about one line long, distinctly five-nerved, all the nerves 

 more or less hairy below, the base of the flcnvering glume pilose. 

 Palea two keeled, keels hairy. 



An introduced grass common everywhere in door yards and 

 waste, mostly moist places. This grass may be found in bloom in 

 almost every montli of the year. 



2. Poa Chapmaniana Scrihn. 



Plate XXXVI. Figure 142. 



An erect annual three to six inches high. Sheaths firm, closely 

 surrounding the stems, striate, mostly shorter than the internodes, 

 usually purplish near the base; leaf-blade one-half to one inch 

 long, aline or less wide, usually erect or ascending, flat or condu- 

 plicate. Panicle generally narrow, occasionally with some of the 

 branches more or less spreading. Spikelets ovate, about one and 

 one-half lines long, three- to six-flowered; empty glumes nearly 

 equal, ovate-lanceolate, acute, the second and often the first three- 

 nerved, distinctly scabrous on the keel above; flowering glume 

 ovate, rather obtuse, three-nerved, the nerves silky-villous for 

 nearly their entire length, and at the base there is a small tuft of 

 cobwebby hairs which when extended exceed the length of the 

 glume. 



This is the Poa cristata of Chapman's Southern Flora. Found 

 in rather dry sandy soil along the river banks below Knoxville, 

 and by Prof. Ruth in the valley of the Hiwassee; at Nashville by 

 Dr. Gattinger. 



3. Poa compressa L. Blue-grass. English Blue-grass. 



Plate XXXVI. Figure 143. 



A slender but rather rigid perennial with much flattened stems 

 six to twenty inches high, ascending from a more or less creeping 

 base, and usually small narrow panicles. Leaves about one line 

 wide, one to three inches long, abruptly pointed at the tip; ligule 

 one-half aline long. Panicle expanded or more often contracted, 

 one to three inches long, the equal primary branches in pairs; 

 pedicels shorter than the spikelets. vSpikelets lanceolate, five- to 

 nine-flowered, two to three lines long; flowering glumes about one 

 and one-half lines long, obscurely five-nerved, with narrow scari- 

 ous margins, the keel and lateral nerves smooth or silky-hairy be- 

 low. Palea two-nerved, nerves scabrous. 



A native of Europe but thoroughly naturalized in many parts of 

 this country. Its low habit of growth, strongly compressed or 

 flattened stems and narrow panicle, are characters which enable 

 one to readily distinguish this from Kentucky blue-grass. It is 

 further more decidedly creeping, and will grow well upon the 



