POA. 



GRAMINEtE. 



461 



Muhl. gram. p. 145 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 157; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 35; Torr. fl. 1. p. 113, and 

 /3. spectabilis, I. c, excl. syn. Muhl. et Ell.; Beck, hot. p. 411 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 78; 

 Kunth, enum. 1. p. 331. P. spectabilis, Pursh, I. c. 



Annual. Culm 1 - 2 feet high, somewhat rigid, simple or cespitose. Leaves longer than 

 the culm, 2-3 lines wide, with a few long hairs towards the base : sheaths bearded at the 

 throat. Panicle often a foot or more in length, very much branched ; the primary branches 

 with a tuft of long hairs in the axils. Spikelets purplish, often linear and elongated. Glumes 

 acute, nearly equal, rough on the keel. Lower palea ovate, acute, 3-nerved, roughish ; the 

 upper strongly ciliate. Stamens 3. Caryopsis oblong, red. 



Sandy fields : Long Island. Fl. August - September. A very common grass in the sandv 

 districts of New- Jersey, particularly near the salt water. 



14. Poa capillaris, Linn. Hair-panicled Meadow-grass. 



Panicle very large, loose, expanding ; the branches capillary and much divided, naked in the 

 axils ; spikelets about 3-flowered, ovate, acute ; flowers not webbed ; culm branched at the 

 base ; sheaths hairy at the throat. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 68 ; Michx. fl. 1. p. 67 ; Pursh, fl. 1. 

 p. 79 ; Muhl. gram. p. 144 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 156 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 35 ; Torr. fl. I. p. 

 113 ; Beck, hot. p. 411 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 77; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 331. 



Annual. Culms often forming very large tufts, 12-18 inches high (including the panicle), 

 somewhat compressed. Leaves 1-2 lines wide, flat ; the sheaths fringed with long hairs 

 on the margin and at the throat : ligule very short, fringed. Panicle 8-12 inches long, 

 pyramidal; the branches roughish and very numerous. Spikelets on long capillary pedun- 

 cles, sometimes 4-flowered. Glumes unequal, lanceolate, acute, rough on the keel. Lower 

 palea ovate, 3-nerved ; the upper shorter, entire. Caryopsis ovoid. 



Sandy fields and dry hill-sides : not uncommon on the banks of the Hudson. Fl. August. 



15. Poa dentata, Torr. (Plate CLV.) ) Toothed Meadow-grass. 



Culms oblique or decumbent ; panicle loose, somewhat spreading ; the branches capillary, 

 flexuous ; spikelets lanceolate and somewhat terete, about 5-flowered, the flowers rather distant 

 and free ; glumes unequal, the upper one 3-nerved and obtuse ; lower palea strongly 5-nerved, 

 at length 5-toothed at the apex. — Torr. fl. 1. p. 107 ; Beck, hot. p. 409. Windsoria pallida, 

 Torr. in cat. pi. N. York (1819), p. 19. Triodia pallida, Spreng. neue entd. 1. p. 246. 

 Uralepis? pallida, Kunth, enum. 1. p. 319. 



Perennial. Culms often branching from the base, rooting at the lower joints, 1 - 2| feet 

 long, terete, smooth. Leaves flat, pale green, somewhat glaucous underneath : sheaths 

 smooth : ligule oblong, obtuse. Panicle weak, nodding when young, with rough branches. 

 Spikelets at first nearly terete, but lanceolate after flowering, acute, all of them on slender 

 pedicels, pale green. Glumes scarious on the margin ; the lower one rather acute. Palea? 



