Cynosurus. | LXXXIX. GRAMINEZ. | 535 
much less stiff than the last, with flaccid leaves. Spike ovoid and less 
regular ; the glumes, both of the empty and of the flowering spikelets, all 
ending in an awn at least as long as themselves, 
In fields and waste places, common in southern Europe and eastward to 
the Caucasus, extending up the west of Europe to the Channel Islands. 
In the main islands of Britain it only appears occasionally on the coasts, 
probably when introduced with ballast. Fl. swmmer. 
XXXIV. BRIZA. QUAKEGRASS. 
Spikelets several-flowered, flat, broad, and short, hanging (in the British 
species) from the slender branches of a loose panicle. Glumes all broad, 
concave, but not keeled, obtuse, scarious on the edges, closely imbricated, 
and spreading. Grain loosely enclosed in the very concave glume and much 
smaller flat palea. 
A small genus, widely spread over the temperate regions of the northern 
hemisphere, some species extending also as weeds into the tropics and the 
southern hemisphere. 
Perennial, Ligula of the leaves very short. . - ° ° . 1. B. media. 
Annual. Ligula of the upper leaves 3 to 6 lines long ; ° . . 2 B. minor. 
B. maxima, a south European species, with the spikelets above half an 
inch long, has been frequently cultivated in our flower-gardens. 
1. B. media, Linn. (fig. 1230). Common Quakegrass.—An erect, 
rather stiff, but very elegant perennial, from near a foot to 13 feet high, 
with a tufted or slightly creepmg stock. Leaves flat but narrow and few, 
except at the base of the stem, their ligules very short. Panicle 2 to 4 
inches long, very loose and spreading. Spikelets hanging from the long, 
slender branches, at first orbicular, then ovate, 2 to 3 lines long, variegated 
with green and purple, containing about 6 or 8 flowers. Glumes all nearly 
similar, the outer pair empty, the upper ones gradually smaller. 
In meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, except 
the extreme north. Common in the greater part of Britain, but becoming 
scarce in the north of Scotland. Fl. early summer. 
2. 8. minor, Linn. (fig.1231). Lesser Quakegrass.—An erect annual, 
from 2 or 3 inches. to near a foot high, with shorter and broader leaves 
than B. media, and much longer ligules. Panicle like that of B. media, 
but more branched and still more slender, the spikelets more numerous, 
smaller though rather broader in proportion, seldom attaining 2 lines in 
length. 
In fields and waste places, in southern Europe, and eastward to the 
Caucasus, extending up the west coast of EKurope to the English Channel. 
In Britain, in the southern counties of England, and has been occasionally 
found near Cork and Kinsale in Ireland. Fl. summer, rather early. 
XXXV. POA. POA. 
Spikelets several-flowered (rarely only 2-flowered), awnless, numerous, in 
a spreading or compact panicle. Outer glumes rather unequal, usually 
keeled. Flowering glumes obtuse or pointed, but not awned, scarious at 
the top, either keeled from the base or at the top only, or rounded to the 
