y-fö [ “ 4 i ]
P O A annua.
Annual Meadow-grafs.
TRIANDRIA Digynia.
G e n . C har. Cal. o f 2 valve s , c o n ta in in g m an y flo re ts .
Spikelet ro u n d ed at th e bafe. Cor. o f 'a ova te,
p o in ted , b eard lefs v a lv e s .
Spe c . C har. P a n ic le d iv a r ica ted . S p ik e le ts o v a te .
F lo re ts a lit tle rem o te , fiv e - r ib b ed , d e ftitu te o f a
w e b . S tem o b liq u e , com p re fled .
S y n . P o a an n u a . Linn. Sp. PI. 99. Sm. FI. Brit. 10 5 .
Hudf. 42. With. 1 4 3 . Hull. 22. Relh. 34 .
Sibth. 4 2 . Abbot. 18 . Curt. Lond.fafc. 1 . t. 6.
Mart. Ruß. t. 98. Stillingfl. t. 7 .
G ram e n p ra ten fe m in u s , feu v u lg a tiflim um . Rati
Syn. 40 8.
E v E R Y where in meadows and paftures, and flowering
almoft throughout the year when the weather is mild. The
root is ftriftly annual, though the ftems throw out fibres
from their lower parts, and feem to creep. Herbage bright
green, not glaucous. Stems feveral, obliquely fpreading, comprefled,
leafy, fmooth. Leaves linear, flaccid, bluntith, fmooth,
with a little roughnefs at the edges, flat, except a waved or
crumpled appearance here and there, very charafteriftic of the
fpecies, though not abfolutely peculiar to it. Sheaths long,
comprefled, fmooth, crowned by a fharp ftipula. Panicle
eredf, fmooth, its branches in pairs, rather directed towards
one fide. Spikelets ovate, variegated with green and white,
fmooth and polifhed. Calyx acute. Florets about 5, not
crowded, ovate, obtufe, 5-ribbed, membranous at the edge,
a little filky at the back, deftitute of a web at their bafe.
This grafs is noted for its great increafe, and the facility
with which it occupies almoft any fituation. It affords excellent
food for cattle, plentiful in proportion to the richnefs of
the foil, and is not damaged, but rather improved, by being
trodden.