_Poa annua._ _P. maritima._ _P. distans._ _P. rigida._ _P. loliacea._ _P. bulbosa._ _P. alpina._ Their “seeds” are all small, about 2-3·5 mm. only, and angular, brown, and present many difficulties (see note, p. 141). _Poa annua_, L. (Fig. 43). Palea 3·5 and caryopsis 2 mm. long, so that the “seed” is much larger than _P. trivialis_, and there is no web. Minutely silky-hairy on the keel, and the ribs are strong for a _Poa_. _Poa alpina_, L., has the palea five-ribbed with stiffish hairs below, but no web. Bronzy green-violet. “Seed” 3-3·5 mm. long. Caryopsis 1·5-2 mm., and slightly grooved. It is rare in England, and is interesting as it becomes viviparous in Alpine situations. (2) _Apex of palea distinctly pointed, acuminate or mucronate, but not giving rise to a true, long, bristle-like awn._ * Palea acuminate--i.e. taper pointed. † Not compressed or obviously keeled. _Festuca ovina._ _F. sylvatica._ _Cynosurus cristatus._ It is doubtful whether these should not be regarded as awned: if so they come near _Nardus_--see p. 130. _Festuca ovina_, L. (Fig. 59). Palea rounded on the back, narrow, terete-lanceolate and five-nerved, tip scaberulous and drawn out to a stiff scabrid point half as long as the palea, or less. About 3-4 mm. long without the tip-point, 4-5·5 mm. with it. Rachilla obliquely truncate and concave at its apex. [Illustration: Fig. 59. _Festuca ovina. a_, spikelet, × about 3-1/2. _b_, “seed,” nat. size and × about 7. _c_, caryopsis, nat. size and × 7.] Caryopsis oblong, somewhat flattened, dark-brown. The numerous varieties of _F. ovina_ cannot be distinguished by the “seed”: the allied varieties _F. rubra_, _F. duriuscula_, and _F. heterophylla_, &c. are sometimes more distinctly awned (see p. 172). But difficulties will be found with the whole group, which needs revision. This group comprises the grasses so valued on downs and dry hill-pastures for sheep-feeding. _Festuca sylvatica_, Vill., not a common plant, is also with difficulty separable (Fig. 51). _Cynosurus cristatus_, L. (Fig. 60). Palea canary yellow to light-brown, lanceolate with rounded back and the mid-rib prominent as a slight keel and margins infolded, about 4 mm. long (varies from 3-4·5 × 0·5 to 1 mm. broad), scabrid above, dotted below and acute to acuminate with a scabrid awn-point, often curved. Caryopsis 2-2·3 mm., somewhat flattened. Rachilla short and smooth, dilated above. [Illustration: Fig. 60. _Cynosurus cristatus. a_, “seed” and caryopsis, nat. size; _b_ and _c_, “seed” × about 8. Note the scabrid and slightly curved awn-point. Nobbe. Cf. Fig. 64.]