110 POACEAE 
longer, stouter, beautifully plumose below: spikelets very numerous, densely crowded, 
about 4 mm. long. 
In damp places, southern peninsular Florida. Also in tropical America. Summer and fall. 
MISSION GRASS. 
39. PENICILLARIA Beauv. 
Tall grasses, with flat leaf-blades and dense cylindric panicles. Spikelets in pairs on a 
short pedicel, surrounded by bristles, persistent ; bristles little if at all exceeding the spike- 
lets, the outer ones short and merely hispidulous, the inner ones plumose. Scales 4, the 
3 outer membranous, the fourth scale shorter, firmer, enclosing a palet of similar texture 
and a perfect flower. Stamens 3. Styles usually distinct. Stigmas plumose. 
1. Penicillaria spicata (L.) Willd. Stems erect, 1 m. tall or more, densely and softly 
pubescent below the inflorescence, leafy: leaf-sheaths stfongly ciliate on the margins with 
long hairs; blades 4 dm. long or less, 6-10 mm. wide, long-acuminate : panicles 1-3 dm. 
long, cylindric, 1-1.5 cm. in diameter: outer bristles shorter than the spikelet, numerous, 
slender, merely hispidulous, the inner ones stouter, few, about equalling the spikelet in 
length, plumose : spikelets about 4 mm. long. 
In fields and waste places, and alongiroadsides, Alabama and Mississippi. Summer and fall. 
40. STENOTAPHRUM Trin. 
Perennial grasses, creeping and branching at the base, with compressed stem, flat or 
convolute leaf-blades, and a terminal spike or spike-like panicle. Spikelets acute or acumi- 
nate, 2- (rarely 1-) flowered, in 2’s—4’s in short spikes which are embedded in the alternate 
notches on one side of the broad and compressed rachis. Scales 4, rarely 3, the 2 outer 
empty, the first small, rarely wanting, the second equalling or a little shorter than the 
spikelet, the third scale similar to the second, enclosing a palet and a staminate flower, 
rarely empty, the fourth scale more rigid than the others, enfolding a palet of similar 
texture and a perfect flower. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. 
1. Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze. Stems compressed, prostrate and 
rooting at the lower nodes: leaf-sheaths compressed, glabrous, keeled ; blades flat, or 
folded when dry, linear, rounded at the apex, usually less than 1 dm. long, sometimes 
longer, 4-10 mm. wide: spikelets 5-10 mm. long, immersed in one side of a broad com- 
pressed rachis, 3.5-5 mm. long. 
In sandy soil, South Carolina to Florida and Texas. Also in tropical America. Spring to fall. 
SHORE GRASS. 
41. OLYRA L. 
Usually tall grasses, with broad flat leaf-blades, which are contracted into a petiole- 
like base, and terminal or axillary panicles. Spikelets unisexual, monoecious: staminate 
spikelets arranged along the panicle branches below the summit ; scale 1, usually awned ; 
palet as long as the scale, 2-nerved ; stamens 3.  Pistillate spikelets terminating the main 
branches of the panicle, much larger than the staminate ; empty scales 2, usually awned, 
membranous, the third scale chartaceous, indurated in fruit; styles 2, united at the base. 
1. Olyra latifdlia L. Stems finally branched: leaf-blades contracted at their junc- 
tion with the sheath into a petiole-like base, oblong to broadly lanceolate, rather abruptly 
acuminate, the primary ones 1.5 dm. long or less, 2-4 cm. wide: panicle triangular or 
ovate, its branches spreading or ascending : staminate spikelets lanceolate, 4-5 mm. long, 
exclusive of the awn: pistillate spikelets ovoid, acuminate, 8-10 mm. long, exclusive of 
the awn. 
In dry places, southern peninsular Florida. Also in tropical America. Summer. 
42. HYDROCHLOA Beauv. 
Slender branching monoecious aquatic grasses, usually floating, sometimes creeping, 
with narrow flat leaf-blades and spicate inflorescence. Spikelets small, of two kinds, the 
staminate in a slender short terminal spike, the pistillate in few-flowered spikes in the upper 
jeaf-axils, the spikes but little exserted from the sheaths. Scales 2, a little unequal, mem- 
branous, concave, awnless, palet wanting. Stamens 6. Styles short, distinct, somewhat 
laterally attached to the apex of the ovary. Stigmas elongated, shortly plumose. 
