POA PRATENSIS. (Lin,) 
SMOOTH-STALKED MEADOW GRASS. (Curtis.) 
GREAT MEADOW GRASS. (Hudson, Withering, and Lightfoot.) 
CREEPING MEADOW GRASS. (Anderson.) 
The panicles of this Grafs and its next neighbour are fo very fimilar in their fuperficial appearance, that even 
profefled Botanifts can fcarcely diftinguifli them at a little diftance. Yet when nearly and minutely jammed they 
Z ^IreaXTn their conditu/nt part?, as well as the fixations and foils Which the plants affeCt. This flowers a 
little earlter than the cither; likes a d^y porous foil s and propagate, itfelf chiefly by its roots which creep juft 
beneath the furface of the earth, in the manner of Couch Grafs (Trmcum repens.) It consequently 
predominates in thofe meadows or paftures which have been lately laid down to GraU, where t le toil is yet 
We and tbe^oots can find an eafy paffage. In antient Leys there is very little of it to be found The italics of 
this pi are in general not fo tall as thofe of the Poa trivialis. But there are two marks of ddhndhon by which 
they may be quickly and infalliby known from each other. The ftalk, and the leaves which ilieatn to it.fi L, m 
this Grafs, are perfedtly fmooth, and will fo appear to the feeling, if the ftalk be drawn between t e nger and 
thumb : whereas the ftalk with its appendage in the other fpecies will be found to be as percept!: y lougn. The 
other certain charaCteriftic is, that at the bafe of the ftalk-leaf, at the point where it ieparates from the k k after 
(beathing it, in both thefe Graifes, there is a thin tranfparent membrane. But the u.defence is, at this, 
membrane in the fnooth-flalked meadow Grafs is fhort and blunt, in the rough-ftalked u is long and harp. For the 
difeovery of thefe laft mentioned elegant fpecific characters, the Botanical World is indebted to the excellent 
Author of the Flora Londineniis. . » . , r r , , , .. 
This Grafs flowers about the third week in May. Its feed in general remain in the hulks a conliderable time 
after they are ripe. Thefe are larger than thofe of the Poa trivialis. I he ieeds of both lpecies have a downy 
fubftance adhering to them fomewhat like cobwebs. _ ...... 
The Tips are commonly of a purplifh colour; but fometimes of a whitnh yellovv. 
Further remarks on this Grafs may be feen in the Flora Lond. and Anderson s Ellays. 
POA TRIVIALIS. (Lin.) 
. ROUGH-STALKED MEADOW GRASS. (Curtis.) 
COMMON MEADOW GRASS. (Hudson, Withering, and Lightfoot.) 
CREEPING SOFT GRASS. (Anderson.) 
The marks whereby to diftinguifli this Grafs have been mentioned above, 'i et it may not be a mils to add, that 
altho’ the ftalks and the leaves which (heath the (talks are rough in this Grafs, yet the leaves which it filft puts 
forth, are exceedingly fmooth, tender, and delicate. It affedts a rnoift fltuation ; and feerns to floui ilh in a 
particular manner in places where a thin (heet of clear water is frequently thrown over, as in water-meadows, 
and the currents of lprings. 
When the feeds are become ripe they loon drop ; and the ftalks and rough leaves of the plant will be found to 
be covered with them; adhering by the downy cobweb-like fubftance which has been mentioned above : and, 
with which the feed of this fpecies is more plentifully attended than that of the iormer. Indeed lo much of this 
down is intermixed with the feeds, and fo clofely does it (lick to them, that it is a very difficult matter to leparate 
them from it, fo as to fcatter them properly in fowing. They have been known to have been rubbed together for 
a conliderable time, and other methods ufed to dilTolve the connection without any luccefs: when fown they 
would fall in lumps, in the quantity of a quarter or half an ounce together. Perhaps a little frelh-llacked lime 
mixed with the feed, and well rubbed with it, may have the effeCt of cauterizing this lanuginous fubftance, and 
difeontinue the adhefion, without deftroyiug the vegetative quality of the feed. 
The anthers are of the fame colour as thole of the other fpecies. 
It flowers about the fourth week in May. 
See Curtis’s Flora, and Anderson’s Ellays. 
Festuca,(ovina, rubra,;,duriuscula. (Lin.) 
Sheeps, Purple, Hard FESCUE. (Hudson, Withering, and Lightfoot.) 
Sheeps, and Purple FESCUE. (Anderson and Stillingfleet.) 
Smaller FESCUE. 
So much has been faid in the prefatory Apology refpeCting this Grafs, that there is the lefs need of enlarging on 
it here. The moll ready criterion whereby the common obferver may diftinguifli this fpecies from the other Grals 
of this family, which will be mentioned hereafter, namely, the larger or meadow Fefcue, is the difference in the 
general fize of the two plants. This is in all refpefts frnaller than the other, particularly the leaves, which in 
'ery diy and poor foils, are very fhort and lmall, rcfembling briftles. In rich foils they are confiderably broader 
and longer; but never fo much fo as to compare in lize with thofe of the meadow Fefcue. It is to be found on 
m^lt (oils, yet feerns to be rather partial to fuch as arc moderately dry. The beft flieep paftures abound with it. 
It blofloms the latter end of May and beginning of June. 
The Tips are purple. 
See Stillingfleet's Trafo and Anderfons EJJ'ays . 
