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P O A c om p r e f la .
Creeping Meadow-grafs.
T R I A N D R IA Digynia.
G en. C har. Cal. o f 2 valves, containing many florets.
Spikelet ovate ; glumes ovate, pointed.
S pec. Ch ar. Panicle conclenfed ; its branches leaning
one way, eredt before and after flowering.
Stem afcending, com preflèd.
S y n . Poa comprefla. Linn. Sp. PI. 10 x. Hudf. FI.
An. 4 1 . With. Pot, Arr. 89. Relh. Cant. 36.
Sibth. Ox. 42. Dickf. H. Sicc. f . 6. r.
Gramen pratenfe paniculatum medium. Ran Syn.
409.
F R E Q U E N T on the tops of walls that are a little covered
with earth, and in other very dry places, where it may be
found in flower from June to September, and may be eafily
diftinguifhed by its comprefled Hem.
The roots are perennial, creeping, confuting of downy
fibres, thrown out from the loweft part of the ftem, which is
decumbent. The ftraw rifes obliquely, the firft joints being
geniculated, the uppermoft very long and ereft. Leaves narrow,
with a long fheath, and fhort obtufe ftipula, of a glaucous
green. Panicle of the fame hue, upright, the common ftem
contracting very fuddenly where the firft branches come off.
A ll the branches are in the beginning clofe and ere£t, acutely
angular and rough, a little zigzag : as they flower they fpread
confiderably, but immediately after the difcharge of the pollen
they become again clofe-prefled to the main branch, fo that
the upper part of the panicle looks as if it expanded firft. By
this mark the grafs may be known at a diftance. The glumes
have a filvery edge, and purplifh tip ; they vary from 3 to 8 or
p in each calyx.
This grafs can fcarcely be put to any agricultural ufe, though
all cattle eat i t ; it does not thrive in moift or manured ground,
and there are many better for dry Situations.