 MrzLICA NuTANS. MountTAIn ME-Ic-GRASS. 
MELICA Lina. Gen. Pl Trianpria Dicynta. 
Cal. 2-valvis, 2-florus. Corpufculum pedicellatum inter flofculos. NeGarzum 
monophyllum. Szaminabafi dilatata. Linn. Sy/f. Nat. ed. 19. Gmelin. 
Rau Syn. Gen. 97. HERB GRAMINIFOLIZ FLORE IMPERFECTO CULMIFERZ. 
MELICA xutans, petalis imberbibus, panicula nutante fimplici. Linn. Syff. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. 
$.112.. Sp. Ph ed. 9. p. 98. Flor. Suec. ed. 2.. p. 26. Scopoh Carn. ed. 2. p.67. Lightfs 
Scot. V. 1. f. Q5. Leers Herb. p. 25. Schreb. Agroft. p. 63. ic. 6. 
MELICA montana petalis imberbibus, panicula coar€tata, fecunda, ereéta, fubfimplici, floribus pendulis. 
Hudfon Fl, Angl. ed. 2. 5. 37. 
POA panicula laxa, locuftis nutantibus dianthis, alterno flofculo imperfe&o. Haller Hf. ». 1472. 
GRAMEN montanum avenaceum, locuftis rubris. Bauh. Pin. 10. 
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RADIX perennis, fibrofa, fubrepens. | 0 ROOT perennial, fibrous, fomewhat creeping. 
CULMI pedales aut fefquipedales, fimplices, ere&i, 9 STALKS a foot or a foot and a half high, fimple, 
foliofi, fcabri, flriati, fubangulofi, inferne upright, leafy, rough, flriated, fomewhat 
purpurel. angular, below purplifh. 
FOLIA ad bafin culmi brevia, fquameformia, fufcef- 6 LEAVES at the bafe of the flalk fhort, fcàle-like, 
centia, ficut afcendunt, longiora et angufliora brownifh, as they afcend becoming longer 
evadunt; Ícabriufcula, lineam cum dimidia Q and narrower, alme and a half broad, and 
lata. Q flightly rough. — ' . 
LIGULA nulla. 9 MEMBRANE at the bale of the leaf wanting. 
PANICULA bi-triuncialis, fubnutans, fecunda, fimplex, 9 PANICLE two or three inches long, bending down a 
vel ramofa ; pedunculis capillaribus, rachi § little, with the flowers inclining one way, 
fubappreffis, flexuofis, erectis, ad lentem vil- fimple or branched; peduncles capillary, 
lofis, precipue ad flores ubi paululum in- ; preffed to the rachis, crooked, upright; vil- 
craffantur. lous if magniüed, efpecially at the flower, 
0 where they are fomewhat thickened. 
SPICULZE plerumque triflore, -rudimento flofculi 9 SPICULA ufually three-flowered, rudiment of the 
pedicell v Q floret £f ing a ft f club. ‘ 
pedicellato clavato, jig. 9. ; oret forming a fort of club, fg. 9. 
CALYX: G/uma bivalvis, valvulis inequalibus, ovatis, 6 CALYX: a Glume of two valves, valves unequal, 
obtufis, obfolete nervofis, primo purpureis, à ovate,- blunt; faintly ribbed, at firft purple, 
demum fufcefcentibus. jig. 1. Q laftly of a brownifh hue, fg. 1. 
COROLLA : Gluma bivalvis, valvulis ineequalibus, 0 COROLLA: a G/ume of two valves, valves unequal, 
exteriore magna, concava, ovata, multinervia, the outer one large, concave, ovate, many- 
nervis plerifque mediam valvule vix attingen- 6 ribbed, moft of the ribs fcarcely reaching 
tibus; interiore lata, plana, multo breviore, 6 half its length; the inner one broad, flat, 
JIS. 2. » and much fhorter, jig. 2. ! 
STAMINA: Finamenta 3 capillaria, diftin@a ; 0 STAMINA: 3 capillary Firamenrs, quite diftin& ; 
ANTHERE llave, jig. 4. 8. Q ANTHERE yellow, fg. 4. 8. 
GERMEN : lato-ovatum, pellucidum; Srvr: duo, D UE of a broad ovate form, and pellucid ; 
«C» 
inferne nudi, fuperne plumofi, patentes, ig. SrvLEs two, naked below, above feathery, 
6. 9. 6 and fpreading, fg. 6. 9. 
NECTARIUM: G/umu/e due, carnofe, truncate, 6 NECTARY : two little G/umer, flefhy, and truncated, 
fT | 6 figs 7. 
This elegant fpecies of Melica inhabits rocky and fhady fituations in the more Northern parts of Europe ; 
Mr. Hupson mentions it as growing in the mountainous woods of Yorkshire, Weftmoreland, and Cumberland ; 
. Mr. Ligurroor plentifully in Scotland; we obferved it abundantly in Grafs-Wood, near Graffington, in the 
neighbourhood of Kilnfay, Yorkfhire, a moft romantic fpot, and fertile in rare plants. 
It flowers in July and Auguft. 
Mr. Licutroor obferves that it varies with flowers nearly feffile, growing in a fpikeinflead of a panicle. 
Lzzrns defcription and delineation of the minute parts of the fruétification in this fpecies, contrary to what 
we generally find in his excellent work, diftinguifhed and much depended on for its accuracy, are very erroneous ; 
the filaments are not united at the bafe, nor is the neGary formed of one entire circular piece, but of two, 
having the appearance indeed of one, feparable on a nice diffeétion ; they do not entirely furround the germen ; 
it is the more neceffary to notice this circumftance, asitappears to have miflead Profeflor GwELIN, who makes 
the Neéfarzum monophyllum a part of the generic charaéter in the Melica. Profeflor Scureper’s ‘magnified 
reprefentation of the neGary, to which the fame fault is imputable, may have contributed its fhare alfo. 
ScunEnER, HarLLER, and ScHEUCHzER, refer to the gramen montanum Jpicatum of Crustus for our plant, 
but it accords fo ill with it, both as to figure and defcription, that we fufpeét that author muft have meant fome 
other plant. a2 
* 
Genera undoubtedly run into one another, but furely there is a wide difference between the fructification of this 
plant and that of a Poa, to which it is referred by Baron Hauer, and of an ira, to which Profeffor Gu rix 
hints that it might be joined. 
This fpecies of Melica is eafily cultivated by parting and planting out its roots in autumn, it 1s to be admired 
for its elegance, but has little pretenfions to be regarded for its utility. 
