626 
CXIII. GEAMINE^S 
hairy, very narrow, 3-9 in., margins inrolled. Spikelets narrowly 
oblong, in., 13-30 -flowered, sessile, crowded in two ranks in a 
simple, slender spike 6-12 in. long. 
Throughout N. India, on sandy and rocky ground, ascending to 5000 ft. 
44. MELICA. From the Greek meli, honey, referring to the 
sweet properties of this Grass. — Temperate and subtropical 
regions. 
Melica scaberrima, Hook.f. ; FI. Br. Ind. vii. 330. Perennial ; 
stems rough, 3-5 ft., erect. Leaves rough, 6-10 in., up to J in. 
broad. Ligule membranous, short, jagged. Spikelets awnless, 
pale green, shortly stalked, slightly flattened, J-J in., 3-5-flowered, 
irregularly disposed on the 2-6 in. long branches of a spreading, 
variable panicle 6-18 in. long, sometimes reduced to a nearly 
simple raceme. Rhachilla terminated by a cluster of 2 or 3 barren 
glumes. Glumes membranous, lanceolate, margins and tip trans- 
parent. Empty glumes 2, shorter than the lowest flowering glume, 
the lower the shorter. Flowering glumes distant, acute, strongly 
7-9-nerved. Stamens 3.. Ovary glabrous ; styles 2, distinct, 
feathery. Grain oblong, free within the persistent glumes. 
Mahasu, in forest. — W. Himalaya, 6000-10,000 ft. 
45. DACTYLIS. From the Greek dadulos, a finger ; supposed 
to refer to the division of the inflorescence. — Cold and temperate 
regions. 
Dactylis glomerata, Linn. ; FI. Br. Ind. vii. 335. Perennial ; 
stems tufted, smooth, 2-4 ft., erect. Leaves flat, 6-12 in. ; sheaths 
flattened. Ligule membranous, long, torn. Spikelets green or 
tinged with purple, shortly stalked, flattened, \ in., 3-5-flowered, 
erowded in one-sided, ovoid clusters in an erect panicle 1-6 in. 
long ; branches rough, the upper ones short, erect, crowded, the 
lower J-2J in., spreading, distant, naked towards the base. 
Rhachilla prolonged, tip naked or bearing 1-2 barren glumes. 
Glumes lanceolate, boat-shaped, keeled. Empty glumes 2, 
slightly unequal, long-pointed, shorter than the lowest flowering 
glume. Flowering glumes stiff, tip shortly awned, 5-nerved, keel 
rough. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous ; styles 2, distinct, feathery. 
Grain oblong, 3-sided, grooved, loosely enclosed within the per- 
sistent glumes. 
Simla, Mahasu, common.' — N.W. Himalaya, 8000-10,000 ft. — W. Asia, 
N. Africa, Europe, including Britain (Cock’s-foot Grass). 
Introduced into North America and many other countries. 
46. POA. From the Greek poa> fodder.— Temperate and cold 
regions, rarely tropical. 
