POA FLEXUOSA, {s m ^ ^ Bn,
Narrow-leaved Alpine Poa.
Spec. Chab. Panicle upright, and expanding; spiculae consisting of about three florets;
leaves slender, and inclining upwards.
To the alpine regions of Scotland we must again resort for Poa flexuosa, but it is a much scarcer
species than the preceding alpina, chiefly inhabiting Ben Nivis, in Inverness, from whence our plants
were gathered by Mr. G. Don; the inclemency of the -season in which w e visited Scotland rendering
all our attempts to approach the summit of that mountain useless.*------This species approaches nearer
P. annua than any other of the genus, but yet is perhaps distinct from that plant; Keel of the calyx
and larger valve of the corolla beset with spines on the upper part ; straw furnished with several narrow
slender leaves, rough at the edges; radical leaves few, ascending, not prostrate as in P. annua;
the whole plant with a slight glaucous hue.- Mr. Don has supplied us likewise with plants which we
consider as only varieties of this species, from Loch-ne-gar, a vast mountain in Aberdeenshire (Fig. 2);
they differ from the plant o f Ben Nivis in being taller, with only two florets in the spicula, and the
spines on the corolla appeared to us to point downwards; the stipulae were likewise more elongated.
The whole of our plants from Aberdeenshire were viviparous, and Mr. Don informed us that he never
found them but in that state.--------- Those gentlemen who are curious in collecting native specimens
will perhaps not think it impertinent, if we here.point out a tolerably certain method o f distinguishing
plants of the alpine regions of Scotland from those which have been propagated in a garden, A very
considerable portion of the soil of the Highlands, both of the bogs and firm land, seems to. consist
of micaceous earth, and upon the mountains, the little soil which is found between the fissures of the
rocks (in which the various plants we find chiefly exist) is formed of so large a portion of this fossil,
that the roots and lower leaves are most commonly found glittering with minute specks of mica,
a circumstance that will not be observable in plants from cultivation. So general is the diffusion of
micaceous earth through Scotland, that we have found the roots o f Isoetes lacustris, from the bottom
of Loch Lomond, partaking in an inferior degree o f this glittering soil.
A, a Spicula.
B, the Calyx.
C, the Corolla.
D, a Spicula o f Fig. 2.
E, a Corolla o f Fig. 2.
* Perhaps there are none of the Scotch mountains less accessible than Ben Nivis; Mr. Stuart, the worthy minister of
Loss, informed us that for two summers he attempted to ascend this giant, but could not succeed in his endeavours.