546 
65. DISTICHLIS Raf. 
Spikelets 6 to 15-flowered, compressed, linear or narrowly ovate, 
smooth, awnless, in small subspicate panicles: second empty glume 
slightly larger, but shorter than the lower floret; floral glume rather 
rigid, ovate, acute, indistinetly 7 to 11-nerved, slightly larger than the 
thin palet: grain oblong, oblique, subacute, opaque: dicecious, the 
pistillate spikelets more turgid, otherwise alike—Rather low rigid 
leafy grasses from perennial running rootstocks. 
1. D. spicata (L.) Kuntze. (SALT Grass). Culms erect, 2 to ddim. high: leaves 
usually crowded, distichous and rigid: panicle 4 to 8 em. long: spikelets about 1 
em. long, (Uniola spicata L.)—Common in saline soil, throughout Texas and north- 
ward, 
66. DACTYLIS L. 
Spikelets 2 to 4-flowered with a glumiferous rudiment, perfect, com- 
pressed, sessile or very short-pedicelled in glomerate clusters in a 
rather dense branching panicle: glumes all herbaceous, or the lower 
ones submembranaceous, carinate and hispid-ciliate on the keel: empty 
glumes lanceolate, acute, subequal, shorter than the lower florets; 
floral glume mucronate, 5-nerved, slightly exceeding the hyaline palet: 
grain linear, yellow, opaque, channelled or triquetrous.—Rather stout 
tufted perennial grasses with numerous rough leaves. 
1. D. glomerata L. (ORCHARD Grass.) Culms 6 to 10 dm. high, simple: leaves 
flat, hispid, 2 to 4 dm. long: panicle 1 te 2 dm. long, irregularly pyramidal: spike- 
lets 5 to 8 mm. long.—Introduced, A valuable grass in cultivation. 
67. POA L. (SPEAR-GRASS.) 
Spikelets 2 to 10-flowered with a glumaceous rudiment, perfect, com- 
pressed, ovate, awnless, in a contracted or open panicle: empty glumes 
membranaceo-herbaceous, lance-ovate, subacute, the first 1-nerved, 
the second 3-nerved; floral glume thin, herbaceous, subacute or obtuse, 
d-nerved, usually pubescent on the keel and with cobwebby hairs at the 
base, longer than the hyaline palet: grain oblong, linear, much shorter 
than the tfloret.—Slender tufted perennial grasses with smooth flat leaves. 
“ Panicle dense or narrow, 
1, P. arachnifera Torr, (TEXAS BLUE GRASS.) Culms 4to8dm, high from strong 
rootstocks: leaves linear, flat: panicle oblong or pyramidal, 1 to 2dm, long: spike- 
lets 4 to 10-flowered, 6 to 10 mm. long; floral glume ciliate on the keel and promi- 
nently webbed from the base.—Rich prairies, central Texas to Oklahoma. Some- 
times cultivated. Var. GLABRATA Vasey, of the same range, has the floral glume 
smooth except the web at the base. 
2. P. Bigelovii Vasey & Scribn. Culms slender, erect, 2 to 4 dm. high: leaves 1 
dm. long or less; panicle linear, about 1 dm. long: spikelets 3 to 5-flowered, 3 to 4 
mm. long; floral glumes, somewhat ciliate on the keel and marginal nerves, and 
webbed at the base.—Dry hills, western Texas to southern California, 
** Panicle very loose and open. 
3. P. campyle R.& S. Culms slender, weak 3 to 5 dm. high: leaves narrowly 
linear, 1 to 2 dm. long: panicle 1 to 2 din, long with slender distant few-flowered 
