MELICA Linn. Gen. PL T riandria Digyn ia.
Cal. bivalvis, biflorus, rudiraentum floris inter flofculos.
Rati Syn. Gen. 27. Herb.« graminifoli.« flore imperfecto culmifer^e.
MELICA uniflora panicula rara, calycibus bifloris, flofculo altero hermaphrodite, altero neutro.
Retzii Fafc. Obf. Bot. 1. p. 10. n. g.
GRAMEN avenaceum locuftis rarioribus. Bauh. Pin. p. 10.
GRAMEN avenaceum fpica mutica rariore gluma. Hifl. Ox. III. t. y.fl. 49.
GRAMEN avenaceum nemorenfe, glumis rarioribus ex fufco xerampelinis. Raii Syn. p. 403.
GRAMEN avenaceum rariore grano nemorenfe danicum. Lob. Ad. P. Alt. p. 465. ic. LB. p. 434.
MELCA nutans petalis imberbibus, panicula fecunda nutante, glumo uniflora. Hudflon Fl.Angl. ed. 2.
p. 34. Lightfoot FI. Scot. p. 95.
vaginis foliorum tegitur fubangulofus,
ftriatus, ad bafin fordide purpureus.
IFOLIA caulina quinque circiter, e flavo viridia, plana,
lineam unam cum dimidia aut duas fere lata, j
in acutum mucronem fenfim attenuata, fi di-
giti deorfum ducantur afpera, fuperne fubpi-
lofa, marginibus ad lentem minutiffime ferru-
latis, membrana breviflima, vix ulla, at quod |
valde fingulare, et notatû dignum, foliolum !
ovato-acuminatüm, ereftum, coloratum, ex
anteriore parte oris vaginas oritur, a nemine !
ante hæc, nec a cl. Retzio obfervatum, Jig. 8. ;
■ FLORES paniculati.
I PANICULArara,pedunculisinferioribusgeminis,altero |
breviore, trifloris, in planta in hortis culta §
etiam feptem auto&o floris, fuperioribus foli- $
tariis. a
I SPICULÆ pedicellatæ, primo atro-purpureæ, muticæ, $
bifloræ. 0
0
■ CALYX; Gluma bival vis, biflora, colorata, .nitida, i)
valvula exteriore majore, ovata, concava, a
quinquenervi, fubmucronata ; interiore rai- 0
nore, ovato-lanceolata, trinervi, fig. 1. £
■ FLOS hermaphrod, feflilis ; valvula exterior magna, I
ventricofa, marginibus interiorem ampleéïens, <>
quæ planiufcula, marginibus membranaceis, |
reflexis, præcipue prope bafin, flg. 2, 3. <>
■ 'V; £
^m 7wpedunculatus,imperfe£lus, fis. q. idem |
I. evplutus, flg. 10. $
I STAMINA: Fil amen ta tria, capillaria, brévia. A nt |
theræ flavefcentes utrinquebifurcatae^g. 4. |
! ^ISTILLUM : G ermen ovatum, glabrum, nitidum, 0
flayefcens S t y li duo bau difcrçti, divari- i
I . . cati. Stigmata villofa, fig. 5. <>
IJNECTARIUM: Squamula minima, integra, ad bafin |
L „ m germinis, fig. 6. <>
K otMEN ovatum, nitidum, majufculum, nigricans, £
m 7- %
ROOT perennial and fibrous.
S T A LK fimple, a foot and a half or more in height,
. leafy, where it is covered with the fheaths of
the leaves fomewhat angular, rough and
ftriated, at bottom of a dull purple colour.
LEAVES of the ftalk about five in number, of a yel-
lowifh-green colour, flat, a line and a half or
almoft two lines broad, terminating gradually
in a point, rough if drawn backwards betwixt
the fingers, on the upper fide fomewhat hairy,
the edges of the leaves when magnified finely
ferrated, the membrane very Ihort, Icaree any;
but what' is very remarkable and worthy
notice, a fmall ovate leaf with a long point,
upright, and coloured, rifes from the forepart
of the mouth of the (heath, till now un-
obferved even by the celebrated Retzius.
flg! 8-
FLOWERS growing in a panicle.
PANICLE loofe, the lowermolt flower-ftalks growing
two together, the one fhorter than the other,
bearing three flowers, and even feven or eight
when cultivated in gardens, the uppermofl
growing fingly.
SPICULAL Handing on little foot-flalks, at fir ft of a
dark purple colour, beardlefs, each containing
two flowers.
C A L Y X : a Glume of two valves, containing two
flowers, coloured and fhining, the outermoft
valve ovate, hollow, having five ribs, and terminated
by a fhort point, the innermoft leaft,
ovato-lanceolate, and three-ribbed, Jig. 1.
F LOWE R : the hermaphrodite one feffile, the outer
valve large, bellying out, with its edges embracing
the inner one, which is flattifh, the
edges membranous and turned back,efpecially
near the bafe, flg. 2, 3.
theflenle flower Handing on a foot-ftalk, and
imperfeft, Jig. g. the fame unfolded, Jig. 10.
STAMINA: three F i l a m e n t s , capillary and (hort.
A nther.« yellowifli and forked at each end,
flg• 4-
PISTILLUM : G e r m e n ovate, fmooth, fhining, and
yellowifh. S t y l e s two, feparate at bottom
and fpreading out. S t i g m a t a villous,Jig. c.
NECTARY : a very minute, entire fcale, at the balf©
of the Germen, flg. 6.
SEED ovate, Ihining, rather large and blackifb, flg. 7.
e'^ga?‘ fP,ecKs’ lo"g flnce notice‘1 and deferibed by many of the old Botanifts, particularly R a y has
defcrihJH , d b>'L .INNf u?- Profeflor R f.t z iu s *. in the firft fafciculps of his Botanical Oblervadons,
■ M U g “ 3new* and gives it the name of umjhra, having found each fpicula to contain only one perfea flower
l lo r f c » / ' " ' tbe.refore< moft readily adopt. Mr. H u d s o n , in his Flora Anglica, has miflaken this plant
I The f l y 71'5 - L innjEus ; and to the nutans has given the name of montana.
four other graSsand ftnk'nS C° logr ° f its Panicle- j oined “ its place of growth, readily diflinguifltes it from all
I h grows plentifully in moll: of the woods near London, and flowers in May and the beginning of June.
* Andr. Joh. Retzii Fafciculus Obfer Lipfiæ, 1779.