GRAMINA. 
127 
SPECIES VIII.-P OA PRATENSIS. Linn. 
Plates MDCCLXXI. MDCCLXXII. 
Reich. Ic. PI. aerm. et Helv. Vol. I. Tab. CLXI. Figs. 413 to 417. 
Billot, PI. GalL et Germ. Exsicc. N"o. 3488. 
Rootstock slender, extensively creeping, producing few or several 
flowering stems, and long or short stolons terminating in vernal or 
festival leafy barren shoots. Flowering stems erect, usually curved 
at the base, not swollen at the base, green or slightly glaucous ; 
the uppermost knot one-fourth to one-third above the base. Leaves 
linear or narrowly linear, parallel-sided, rather abruptly pointed and 
hooded at the apex, bright green or slightly glaucous ; sheaths smooth 
or nearly so, compressed, those of the barren shoots greatly so, and 
ancipitate, the uppermost one on the stem about two or three times as 
long as its leaf; Hgule rather prominent, rather broader than long, 
obliquely tmncate. Panicle more or less drooping at the apex, equal, 
oblong-pyramidal or deltoid pyramidal in flower and fruit, or rhombic- 
oblong or narrowly oblong in fruit, lax or rather dense. Panicle- 
branches 2 to 5 at the lowest nodes of the rachis, but generally 3 to 5, 
the longest ones unbranched and bare of spikelets at the base for 
from one-fourth to one-half their length, spreading and often arching- 
drooping in flower and fruit, or ascending or even erect in fruit, 
cabrous. Spikelets lanceolate-elliptical, 2- to 6-flowered, but usu- 
ally 3- or 4-flowered. Lower glume 1-ribbed, upper one 3-ribbed. 
Florets connected at the base by numerous arachnoid hairs. Lower 
pale acuminate and acute, conspicuously 5-ribbed, with the midrib and 
marginal-ribs silky-hairy in the lower half, green, frequently tinged 
with purple, and with narrow white scarious margins towards the apex 
Var. a, vulgaris. Gaud. 
Plate MDCCLXXI. 
P. pratensis, 8m. Eng. Bot. ed. i. No. 1073. 
Leaves of the barren shoots about as broad as those on the flowering 
stems, flat, green. Panicle oblong-pyramidai, many-flowered, open 
after flowering. 
Var. 3, angiLstifolia. Gaud. 
P. angustifolia, Unn. Sp. Plant, p. 99. 
Leaves of the barren shoots much narrower than those of the stem 
very long, flat, green. Panicle pyramidal, many -flowered, open after 
flowering. 
