Catabrosa. | LXXXIX. GRAMINEZ. 541 
spreading branches. Spikelets 1 to near 2 lines long. Outermost glume 
very short and small, the second larger, broad, and truncate at the top like 
the flowering ones, but much shorter: these are scarious, and slightly 
toothed or jagged at the top, with very prominent ribs, Paleas similar 
but rather smaller, with only 2 ribs. 
In shallow pools, and ditches, in Europe and temperate Asia, from the 
Mediterranean to the Arctic regions, and in North America, Generally, 
although thinly, scattered over Britain. Sl. early summer, 
XXXVII. MOLINIA. MOLINIA. 
A single species, very near Poa and Festuca, differing from the former 
in the much more pointed glumes, from Festuca in the smaller and rather 
less flattened spikelets. There is also, at the base of the palea of the 
uppermost flower, a small, bristle-like appendage, being a continuation of 
the axis of the spikelet, and bearing sometimes the rudiment of another 
flower, although less conspicuous than in Melica. This rudimentary 
terminal flower may however be occasionally observed in most of the allied 
genera. 
1. ME. everulea, Meench. (fig. 1248). Purple Molinia.—A rather 
coarse, stiff perennial, often 3 feet high, with the leaves chiefly radical, 
forming large tufts, long and flat, rather stiff, and slightly hairy on the 
upper side. Panicle narrow but loose, 6 inches to above a foot long, green 
or purplish ; the branches erect or scarcely spreading. Spikelets erect, 
narrow and pointed, 2 to 4 lines long, usually with about 3 flowers. 
Glumes acute, the outer ones shorter than the flowering ones, and rather 
unequal, 
In wet heathy places, moors, woods, and waste places, throughout Europe 
and temperate Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions. 
Common in Britain, except where destroyed by cultivation. Fv. late in 
summer, or autumn. [M. depauperata, Lindl., is a 1-flowered state. ] 
XXXVIII. MELICA. MELICK. 
Spikelets awnless, rather large, and few in a slender panicle, each with 
1 or 2 flowers, besides a small, terminal, wedge-shaped glume, enclosing 1 
or 2 more minute or rudimentary ones. Glumes broad and several-nerved, 
but not keeled ; the outer empty ones thin, the flowering ones of a rather 
firmer texture. 
A small but natural and widely dispersed genus, readily known by the 
small, terminal, empty glumes, much more conspicuous than in any of the 
allied genera. 
Spikelets drooping, 2-flowered . 4 : ° : : “ . 1. UM. nutans, 
Spikelets erect, 1-flowered . ° ; . 2M uniflora. 
1, M. nutans, Linn. (fig. 1249). Mountain Melick.—A slender erect 
perennial, 1 to 2 feet high, with erect, flat leaves. Panicle one-sided, 2 to 
3 inches long ; the short but slender branches usually erect, so as to give it 
the appearance of a simple raceme. Spikelets about 10 to 15, drooping, 
3 or even 4 lines long, 2-flowered ; the outer glumes brown or purple, with 
searious edges, the flowering ones scarcely protruding beyond them; the 
inner imperfect glume much shorter, broadly wedge-shaped. 
