iy 2 [ 1073 ]
P O A pratenfis.
Smooth-Jlalked Meadow-grafs.
TRIANDRIA Digynia.
G en. C har. Cal. of a valves, containing many flo«?
rets. Spikelet rounded at the bafe. . Cor. of %
ovate, pointed, beardlefs valves.
Spec C har. P a n ic le fpread in g. S p ik e le ts o f four
flowers. G lum e s lan ceo la te , fiv e -n e rv ed , c o n n
e c te d b y a w eb . S tip u la fh o rt and b lun t.
S yn . P o a pratenfis. Linn, Sp. PI. 9 9 . Sm. Fl. Brit.
1 0 4 . Hudf. 29. IVith. 1 4 1 . Hull. 1 1 . Relh. 3 4 .
Sibth. 4 1 . Abbot. 1 8 . Curt. Lond.fafc. a . t. 5 .
Dick/. H. Sicc. fafc. 1 4 . 3 .
G ram en pratenfe p an icu la tum majus, la tio re folio.
: Raii Syn. 4 9 9 .
T h i s Poa agrees much with the preceding in habit and
general appearance, grows no lefs frequently in almofl every
fituation, and is as valuable to the hufbandman. It flowers
rather earlier, comes fooner into leaf, and will grow in much
drier places than P. trivialis; but, according .to Mr. Curtis’s
obfervations, the latter produces a better crop as the feafon
advances.
P . pratenfis is known from trivialis by the fmoothnefs of
its Items when handled, by having generally more florets in a
calyx, but moft decidedly by its fhort blunt ftipulse; an infallible
and invariable character, properly infilled on by Mr. Curtis,
and we believe found out by himfelf, though juflice to Mr.
Hudfon obliges us to recoiled it is mentioned previoufly by
him in the Fl. Anglica. The panicle has more often a purple
hue than that of the lafl defcribed, and the web connecting
the florets is peculiarly long and complicated. P. angufiifolia
of Linnaeus appears to us a variety of this with narrow rigid
leaves, and a fmaller panicle.