/ S i [ 792 ]
P O A decumbens.
Decumbent Meadow-grafs.
T RIANDRIA Digynia.
G en. Char. Cal. of 2 valves, containing many florets.
Spikelet rounded at the bafe. Cor. of 2 ovate,
pointed, beardlefs valves.
S pec. C har. Panicle generally Ample, condenfed,
eredt. Spikelets ovate, four-flowered, the length
o f the calyx. Stipulse formed o f little hairs.
Syn . Poa decumbens. With. 147. Sm. FI. Brit. 107.
Hull. 23.
Feftuca decumbens. Linn. Sp. P i. n o . Hudf. 47.
Iielh. 43. Sibth. 46. Abbot. 22. Dickf. H. Sicc.
fafc. 1 1 . 3.
Gramen avenaceum parvum procumbens, paniculis
non ariftatis. Rail Syn. 408.
S p o n g y bogs on barren fandy or mountainous ground
produce this grafs frequently. It flowers in July and is perennial.
The whole plant is remarkably harfli and rigid, lying clofe to
the ground, except when in flower. The roots creep, though
to no great extent. The ftem is about a foot long, jointed and
bent, fmooth, leafy. Leaves linear, flraight, horizontal, rather
glaucous. Their long (heaths clofely inveft the ftem and are
hairy (particularly upwards) and ftriated. The ftipula which
crowns their fummit withinfide is formed of numerous denfe
hairs. The panicle is zigzag, and confifts of but few flowers.
Each fpikelet is ovate, acute, tumid (efpecially as it ripens its
feeds), fmooth, generally purplifh. The calyx glumes are
about as long as the fpikelet, nearly equal, ovate, acute, (lightly
ribbed, with a rough keel. The florets are more elliptical,
blunter, and notched, very fmooth, nerved, hairy at their bafe;
their outer glume has in its notch a (hort intermediate flat tooth,
totally different however from the awn of a Fejluca, fo that we
readily aflent to Dr. Withering’s alteration in making this grafs
a Poa. In habit, and ftrudture of fome parts, it is, as Linnaeus
obferves, more allied to Melica.