GRAMINA. 
SPECIES IX-P OA TRIVIALIS. Linn. 
Plate MDCCLXXIII. 
Eekh. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. I. Tab. CLXII. Figs. 418 to 420. 
Billot, Fl. GaU. et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2588. 
Cfespitose. Eootstock not at all creeping, producing several or 
numerous flowering stems, and numerous short or elongate jestival bar- 
ren shoots or decumbent stems, but no subterranean stolons. Flower- 
ing stem erect, curved or geniculate at the base, and sometimes rooting 
at the lower knots, not swollen at the base ; green, the uppermost knot 
usually from one -third above the base to a little below the middle of 
the stem. Leaves linear, tapering towards the apex, gradually pointed, 
flat, green; sheaths rough, rarely smooth, compressed, those of the 
barren shoots greatly so and ancipitate, the uppermost one on the 
stem about twice as long as its leaf ; ligule very prominent, longer 
than broad, lanceolate -triangular, acute. Panicle erect, equal, pyra- 
midal or oblong-pyramidal in flower and fruit, very lax. Panicle- 
branches 3 to 6 at the lowest nodes of the rachis, but usually 5, 
the longest ones unbranched and bare of spikelets at the base for 
about half their length, spreading in flower and fruit or ascending in 
fruit, scabrous. Spikelets elliptical, 2 to 4 flowered, but usually 
3 -flowered. Lower glume 1 -ribbed, upper one 3 -ribbed. Florets 
connected at the base by numerous arachnoid hairs. Lower pale 
acute, conspicuously 5-ribbed, the midrib alone silky-hairy in the 
lower half, green, occasionally tinged with purple, and with narrow 
white scarious margins broadest towards the apex. 
V^ar. a, .scabra. 
P. Bcabra, EJirh. D. C. Fl. Fr. Vol. III. p. 59. 
Sheaths rough. 
Var. 3, Kdlen. 
P. Koleri, "D. C. Syn. Gall. h)07.^ " Test. Gaud. A-rost. Helv. Vol. I. p. 211. 
Sheaths smooth. 
In meadows, j)astures, roadsides and cultivated ground ; very com- 
mon and generally distributed. Var. ^ in woods and shady places ; 
not uncommon. 
England. Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 
Stem 1 to 2 feet high. Longest leaves 3 to 0 inclics by ^ to ^ inch 
VOL. XI- S 
