GRAMINA. 
99 
than Cowdenbeath, Fife, though I believe I gathered it near Swan- 
bister, Orkney, but I have preserved no specimens from that locality 
in my herbarium, and as it was in the year 1849 I cannot now speak 
with certainty. In Ireland it is recorded from counties Dublin, 
Gal way, and Mayo. The variety |3 appears to be nearly as common 
as the type. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer, Autumn. 
A^ery near G. eu-fluitans, but occasionally attaining a larger size and 
with the spikelets shorter and thicker than those of G. eu-fluitans — 
comparing spikelets of each plant which have the same number of 
florets, but as the number of florets in the spikelet varies in each sub- 
species, spikelets of G. plicata with numerous florets will be con- 
siderably longer than those of G. eu-fluitans with few : in G. pHcata, 
in fact, the length of the spikelets varies from ^ to 1 inch. This 
comparative shortness arises from the florets being placed closer to 
each other on the axis of the spikelet of G. plicata. The florets are 
also shorter, ^ to ^ inch long, the lower pale is broader in proportion 
to its length, more strongly ribbed, blunter, and more scarious at 
the apex, which is often shortly 3- to 5-toothed. Anthers only about 
lialf as long as in G. eu-fluitans, caryops shorter and broader, and 
rachis is slightly rough in the upper part. 
G. plicata var. a cannot well be mistaken for G. eu-fluitans on 
account of the compound panicle with much more numerous spikelets, 
but var. )3 and transition states between var. a and var. ^ require 
minute examination to separate them from G. eu-fluitans. 
When growing in dry places G. plicata var. jS is densely ciEpitose, 
the stems sometimes not above 3 or 4 inches long, and the panicle 
reduced to a lax spikelike raceme. 
A third subspecies of G. fluitans occurs in the south of Europe; it 
i.-^ the G. spicataof Gassone and closely resembles ourG. plicata var. 0, 
})ut the upper pale in G. spicata is a little longer than the lower, while 
in the 2 British subspecies it is shorter. 
Folded-leaved Meadow-grass. 
Section II.— MEGACHLOA. Gren. & Godr. 
Spikelets rather short, elliptical-ovoid and slightly compressed 
before flowering, afterwards oblong and greatly laterally compressed. 
Lodicules free from each other. Stem stout, rigid. Leaves very 
firm or rigid. 
