Pana LXXXIX. GRAMINEA. | 541 
3 lines long, with 6 to 8 flowers. Glumes about a line long, more or 
less keeled, especially at the top, with faint lateral nerves and scarious 
edges, obtuse or slightly pointed ; the outer empty pair nearly similar 
to the flowering ones, but more strongly nerved. Sclerochloa loliacea, 
Woods. 
On sandy sea-shores, common on the Mediterranean and up the 
western coasts of Europe to the English Channel. Scattered here and 
there along the coasts of England and Ireland, and very local in Scot- 
land. Fl. summer. This species has been successively transferred by 
different botanists from 7’riticwm, where it was originally placed by 
Smith, to Brachypodium and Festuca, with all of which it has consider- 
able affinity, or with P. rigida it has been made one of the small genera 
Sclerochloa, Catapodiwm, or Scleropoa, more recently established. 
8. P. annua, Linn. (fig. 1243). Annual P.—A tufted annual, usually 
about 6 inches high, with flat, flaccid, bright-green leaves. Panicle loose 
and spreading, 14 to 3 inches long, with slender branches. Spikelets all 
stalked, oblong or linear, each with from 8 to 6 or rarely more flowers. 
Flowering glumes scarious at the top, keeled from the base; the lateral 
nerves also slightly prominent when dry without woolly hairs on the 
axis of the spikelet, but very minutely silky-hairy on the keel. 
In cultivated and waste places, most abundant in the temperate 
regions of the northern hemisphere, but extending into almost every 
part of the globe. Very common in Britain, and a chief ingredient in 
the grass of some of the London parks. Fl. nearly the whole year round. 
It will often germinate, flower, seed, and die in the course of a few 
weeks. 
9. P. compressa, Linn. (fig. 1244). Flattened P.—A_ perennial, 
seldom above a foot high, with a creeping rootstock, and erect stems 
more or less flattened at the base. Leaves rather short, with flattened 
sheaths, and a short, obtuse ligula. Panicle oblong, 2 to 3 inches long, 
slightly spreading, but rather crowded, with many of the spikelets 
sessile, and the branches turned towards one side, but not so much 
as in P. procumbens and P. marituma. Spikelets ovate-oblong, usually 
4- to 6-flowered, with occasionally a few woolly hairs on the axis. 
Flowering glumes about a line long, with minute silky hairs on the keel ; 
the lateral nerves not prominent. 
On dry, barren, waste ground, and frequently on walls, in temperate 
and southern Europe, in Russian Asia, and North America, extending far 
into Scandinavia, but not an Arctic plant. Frequent in England and 
Scotland, but less so farther north, and rare inIreland. Fl. all summer. 
10. P. pratensis, Linn. (fig. 1245). Meadow P.—A perennial, 1 to 2 
feet high, with a more or less creeping rootstock or emitting creeping 
scions aboveground. Leaves rather narrow, with a short, obtuse ligula. 
Panicle 2 to 3 inches long, with slender, spreading branches. Spikelets 
numerous, ovate or oblong, all or nearly all stalked, each with about 4 
flowers. Flowering glumes rather more than a line long, with minute 
silky hairs on the keel; the lateral nerves scarcely prominent. 
In meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and central and Russian 
Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle, in North America, and 
reappearing in the southern hemisphere. Abundant in Britain. Vl. 
summer, commencing early. : 7 
11. P. trivialis, Linn. (fig. 1246). Roughish P.—Very near P. pratensis, 
