Melica C,e r u l e a. 
Blue Melic-Grass 
MELICA Lin. Gen. Pl. Triandria Digynia. 
Cal. 2-valvis, 2-florus. Rudimentum floris inter florculos. 
Raii Syn. Gen. 27. Herb.® graminifoli.<e flore imperfecto culmifer.e. 
MELICA ccerulea panicula coar&ata floribus cylindricis. Lin. Sy/l. Vegetab. p. 113. 
AIRA ccerulea foliis planis, panicula coar£lata, floribus pedunculatis muticis convoluto fubulatisi 
Lin. Sp. Pl. 95. FI. Suec. n. 67. 
POA fpiculis fubulatis panicula rara contra&a. Fl. Lapp. 29. 
AIRA ccerulea. Scopoli Fl. n. 91. 
GRAMEN arundinaceum enode minus fylvaticum. Bauh. Pin. 7. Scheuch Agrojl. 209. 
GRAMEN pratenfe ferotinum, panicula longa purpurafcente. Raii hi jl. 1288. Morif. hijl. 3. 
p. 201 . f. 8. t. 5. f. 22. 
GRAMEN pratenfe fpica Lavendulae. Merr. Pin. 5. Raii Syn. 404. Hudfon. Fl. Angi. ed. 2. 
p. 33. Lightfoot Fl. Scot. p. 96. 
RADIX perennis, fibrofa, fibris craflis, albidis feu ■ 
fufcefcentibus, flexuofis, villofis. 
CULMUS pedalis, fefquipedalis, aut bipedalis, bafi 
fub-bulbofus, ereftus, unico tantum nodo, 
eoque prope bafin inftru&o, fuperne nudus, 
laevis. 
FOLIA plerumque tria, aut quatuor, palmaria, et 
ultra, ex caeruleo virefcentia, latiufcula, 
acuminata, rigidula, inferiora plana, fupe- 
riora fubconvoluta, ad margines pilofa. 
Membrana nulla, Vagina brevis, flriata. 
FLORES paniculati. 
PANICULA palmaris, et ultra, ramofa, ramis ap- 
preflis, hinc fubfpicata. 
SPICULyE biflorae, triflorae, et quadriflorae, fsepius 
vero triflorae, fig. 1, 2, 3, cum rudimento 
flofculi in plerifque, fig. 4, 5, juniores com- 
preflae, adultae teretiufculae, obtufae, paulu- 
lum divergentes. 
CALYX bivalvis, valvulae fubaequales, acutae, cari- 
natse, ad margines purpureae, fig. 6 . 
COROLLA bivalvis, valvulae fubaequales, exteriore 
majore, interiorem ample&ente, trinerve, 
fubmucronata, ad margines purpurea, inte- 
riore binerve, pallidiore, obtufa, paulo bre- 
viore, fig. 7. 
NECTARIUM : Squamula duae, breviflimae, latae, 
truncatae, emarginatae, fig. 8. 
STAMINA : Filamenta tria, capillaria ; Anthers 
bifurcae, purpureae, fig. 11. 
PISTILLUM: Germen minimum, glabrum, fub- 
ovatum ; Styli duo, ramofi, ad bafin ufque 
purpurei, fig. 9, io. 
■ ROOT perennial, fibrous, thick, whitiffi or brownilh, 
I crooked and villous. 
- STALK a foot, a foot and a half, or two feet 
I high, fomewhat bulbous at the bafe, upright, 
► having only one knot, and that near the 
bafe, above naked and fmooth. 
► LEAVES for the moll part three or four, about a 
* hand’s-breadth in length, of a blueifh-green 
I colour, rather broad, long-pointed, ftiffifh, 
► the lower ones flat, the upper ones fome- 
\ what rolled up, hairy at the edges. Membrane 
► none, Sheath fhort and ftriated. 
* FLOWERS growing in a panicle. 
► PANICLE a hand’s-breadth or more in length, 
I branched, the branches doling together fo 
► as to form a kind of fpike. 
I SPICUL. 7 E containing two, three, and four flowers, 
► but mod commonly three, fig. 1, 2, 3, with 
a rudiment of a flower in mod of them, 
► fig- 4> 5 > young ones flattened, the full- 
grown ones roundifh,. obtufe, flightly di- 
\ verging. 
► CALYX compofed of two valves, the valves nearly 
^ equal, pointed, keeled, the edges purple, 
[ fig- 6. 
I COROLLA compofed of two valves, the valves 
► nearly equal, the outer one, which is largeft, 
^ embracing the inner one, three-ribb’d, flightly 
} pointed, the edges purple, the inner valve 
I two-ribb’d, paler, obtufe, and a little fhorter, 
► fig • 7 * 
NECTARY : two very fhort, broad, truncated, 
emarginate Scales, fig. 8. 
► STAMINA: three capillary Filaments; Anthers 
I forked at each end, and purple, fig. 11. 
} PISTILLUM: Germen very minute, fmooth, and 
I fomewhat ovate; Styles two, branched 
► down to the bottom, and purple, fig. 9. 10. 
Our readers, on perufing the above defcription, will quickly perceive, that this grafs does not accord, in 
every refpeft, with the chara&ers of a Melica; it has, in general, too many flowers : yet, as the eflential part, 
the rudimentum flofculi, is found in mofi of the Spiculas, it cannot, perhaps, be more judicioufly arranged. 
Linnveus, at different periods, appears to have entertained a different opinion of it: in his Flora Lapponica, 
he confidere it as a Poa ; in his Species Plantarum and Flora Suecica, as an Air a ; and, laflly, in his' Syftcma 
Vegetabilium, makes it a Melica. 
If the Spiculae be examined when the plantis young, they are certainly very Poa-like, being pointed, flattened, 
and containing ufunlly from three to five flowers ; as they advance, their form alters, they become rounder’ 
and more like the flowers of the Air a aquatica: if the rudimentum flofculi were wanting, it would be difficult 
to fay with which of the two genera it ffiould be placed ; that being prefent, the difficulty vanifhes, and we 
dais it at once with the Melica. 
Two linking peculiarities diftinguifh this grafs : the ftalk has only one knot, and that near its bafe ; and 
not only its ftamina, but its ftigmata alfo, are of a deep purple colour. 
Merret’s name of Gramen Spica Lavendulce, is very expreffive of its appearance when in flower. 
It is a very common grafs on wet moors and heaths, and flowers from July to the end of September ; it 
is harfli and late, and therefore does not Teem at all adapted to agricultural purpofes ; it varies greatly in fiz’e 
Mr. Lightfoot, in his Flora Scotica, informs us, that in the Ifle of Skie, the fifhermen make ropes for 
their nets of this grafs, which they find by experience will bear the water well without rotting. Scheuchzer 
fays, that befoms are foinetimes made of the flraws. 
