GRAMINEiE. 561 



55. ERIANTHUS, Rich. 



Spikelets geminate along a jointed axis, homogamous, supported by wool : one sessile, one 

 pedicellate. Two inferior sterile glumes chartaceous-membranaceous, third devoid of a palea, 

 neutral, fourth (the fertile) awned, with a palea : awn terminal, usually straight.— Perennial 

 grasses ; spikelets paniculate. 



164. E. jamaicensis, Gr. "Leaves linear-acuminate; panicle linear -lanceolate : 

 joints and pedicels villous ; exterior glumes acuminate, about as long as the wool, inferior 

 villous at the margin ; awn as long as its glume." — Saccharum, Trin. — Apparently allied to 

 E. saccharoides, Mich., which has a longer awn. — Hab. Jamaica (IVin.). 



56*. SACCHARUM, L. 



Character of Erianthus, but spikelets awnless, exterior glumes membranaceous, and glume 

 of the flower more or less abortive. — Stout, paniculate grasses ; wool exceeding the spikelet. 



165*. S. officinarum, L. Panicle large, pyramidal: common axis sulcate; joints and 

 pedicels glabrous below the wool ; exterior glumes pointed, one-half to oue-third as long as 

 the wool; palea of the flower half as long as the third glume; stamens 3. — Tuss. Fl. 1. 

 t. 23-25. Desc. Fl. 4. t. 283 ; 7. t. 493.— S. violaceum, Tuss. .- a form with the midrib of 

 the second glume suppressed. — Hab. Naturalized e.g. in Antigua !, and cultivated ; [intro- 

 duced from the East Indies]. 



57. IMPERATA, Cyr. 



Spikelets homogamous, awnless, geminate, unequally pedicellate in each pair, jointed and 

 supported by wool at the base : axis not jointed. Two inferior sterile glumes membrana- 

 ceous : third included, devoid of a palea, neutral. Glume of the flower and its palea minute 

 (replacing the wanting Jodiculse). Stamens 1-2. Style 2-fid : stigmas exserted from the 

 summit of the spikelet. — Erect, perennial grasses; panicle contracted: wool white, exceed- 

 ing the narrow, hairy spikelets. 



166. I. caudata, Trin. Nodes glabrous; leaves lanceolate-linear, flattish : ligule 

 long-ciliate ; panicle long, at length somewhat loosened : wool 3-4 times as long as the 

 spikelet ; flower 1-androus. — SI. t. 70. f. 1. — Saccharum, May. Esseq.! S. coutractum, 

 Poit., Led. (non Klh.), S. dubium, Kth. — 2'-6' high ; leaves 4'"-5'" broad ; panicle about 

 l r Ions;, 1." broad in the expanded state : wool 3"'-4'" long. — Hab. Jamaica !, Pd., Wilt. ; 

 Trinidad !, Sieb. Tr. 10, Cr. ; [French islands ; Guiana !, Brazil]. 



58*. COIX, L. 



Spikelett monoecious, <J superior, 2-flowered, ? little exserted from a bony involucre. 

 Sterile glumes in $ 3, third devoid of a palea, membranaceous. Style 2-partite. — Erect, 

 branched grasses ; leaves lanceolate ; cymes peduncled, axillary and terminal .- $ spikelets 

 solitary. 



167*. C. Iiacryma, L. Annual ; stem half-terete above ; involucre subglobose, white- 

 shining. — Hab. Naturalized in Jamaica !, March, Wulhchl. ; S. Kitts ! ; [introduced from 

 the East Indies]. 



59*. ZEA, L. 



Spikelets monoecious, <? geminate, 2-flowered, in terminal, compound spikes, ? approxi- 

 mate along an axillary spadix, which is enclosed by several spathes. Style simple, 2-deutatc. 

 — A stout, annual grass ; leaves oblong-lanceolate. 



168*. 55. Mays, L. — Desc. Fl. 8. t. 544.— Hab. Naturalized, e.g. Antigua!, and cul- 

 tivated ; [America, but original habitat unknown]. 



