POA, Lillli. 
Si'iKELETS mostlv - to r)-H(^were(l, in loose or close (rarelv in spike-like) 
])!inicles ; I'liacliilla (lisarticnlatini;' above the olunies and between the valves, 
oiabi'ous or scantily and minutely haiiy. Flowers lierniaphrodite or tlie upper 
imperfect. 
Glumes thin, membranous, keeled, acute or obtuse, I to ;)-nerved. Valves 
membranous, sometimes rather firm, obtuse or acute, 5 to 7-nerved ; callus small, 
obtuse, often with a tuft of loui;; wool. Pales shorter than the valves, li-keeled. 
Lodicules 2, more or less 2-lobed. Stamens Ovary glabrous. Styles short, 
free, stigmas ])lumose, laterally exserted. drain ovoid, oblong or linear, often 
grooved, free or adlierent to the |)ale ; hilum punctiform, basal ; embryo small. 
Annual or Perennial ; blades flat and flaccid or convolute and more or less 
rigid ; ligules hyaline. Panicles open, often effuse, rarely contracted, spike-like. 
Spikelets ratlier small, awnless. 
Numerous species in the tempei'ate regions, particularly of the iK)rtheru 
hemisphere, few in the tropics. 
PLATE 463. 
PoA TRTVTALTS, Lilui. (Fl. C'a])., Vol. VTT., p. 714). 
Nat. ()rdei' Graminea''! 
Pkrenntat>. l(^(^sely tufted, glabrous. — ( *ulms geniculately ascending, usually 
from a shoi't arched rooting base, to 2 feet long, terete or subcf)m]>ressed below, 
scabrid above, rarely smooth all along, about ."Vnoded ; internodes exserted ; sheaths 
somewhat loose, striate, smooth oi' rougli, the lower tliin ; ligules ovate-oblong, 2 
to .5 lines long ; blades linear, acute, 2 to .5 inches ])v 1 to :3 lines, usually flat and 
flaccid, scaberulous. 
Panicle oblong to ovate or pyramidal when oj)en, erect oi' slightly noddiiig, 
3 to 7 inches long ; rhachis usually smooth below ; bi'anclies in distant semiw horls 
of 4 to C) (mostly of o), uiie(pial, filiform, scaberulous, the longest u]) to ■'> inches 
long and inidivided often for more than lialf their length, distantly or closely 
branched, ultimate branchlets closely (1 to 2-spiculate ; lateral pedicels very short. 
Spikelets green or purplisl). ovate to oblong, acute, to 2 lines long, to 
4 -flowered. 
Glumes sube(pi;d, rather flrni, loirer narrow, oblong, acute, f ^ to 1 'j line long, 
1 -nerved, keel scaberulous, iipjx'r glume ovate and acuminate, \^ line long, 
.■3-nerved ; side-nerves ])roniinent, keel very scabrid. Valves ol)long, acute, rather 
firm, loirc}- ]^ line long, [)ubescent along the keel to the middle, otherwise glabrous, 
side-nerves ratlier ])roniiiieiit : callus witli a small tuft of vei'v long wool. Pales 
\ \ lirie long, 2-toothe(l, keels finelv and vei'\' densely scabrid. Anthei's I line long. 
Gi'ain ^ line long, grooved. 
HSibitcit : Natal. Without pi-ecise locality, Bncli'dKi n 
Drawn from Buclianan's which was very kindly lent for the purpose by 
the Directoi- of the Herbarium at Kew ; the jilant is not in our collection. 
Fio' 1, Spikelet ; 2, lower i>liiiiie : ii])]ior gliiino ; 4. valve in jii'oHlc ; '> : (i, pistil, 
stamens, and IcxUciiles, ^lll rn}(ir(ic(l. 
