GRAMINEAE. $3 



its length inserted about the middle, the fourth scale bearing near the base an awn 

 more than twice its length. In fields and meadows throughout nearly the whole of 

 N. Am. Very fragrant in drying. Naturalized from Europe. June -July. 



25. SA VAST AN A Schrank. 



Aromatic perennial grasses, with flat leaves and contracted or open panicles. 

 Spikelets 3-flowered, the terminal flower perfect, the others staminate. Scales 5; 

 the first and second nearly equal, acute, glabrous; the third and fourth somewhat 

 shorter, obtuse, entire, emarginate, 2 -toothed or 2-lobed, with or without an awn, 

 enclosing a palet and stamens; fifth scale often produced into a short awn, enclos- 

 ing a palet and perfect flower. Stamens in the staminate flowers 3, in the perfect 

 2. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scales. [Name 

 unexplained.] About 8 species, natives of temperate and cold regions. 



Third and fourth scales unawned ; 

 Entire ; culms 3-10 dm. tall. 



Panicle i dm. long or less, its branches short, 5 cm. long or less ; leaves short 



and broad. i. S. odorata. 



Panicle 1.5-5 dm. long, its branches capillary, drooping, 12 dm. long ; leaves 



long and narrow. 2. S. Nashii. 



Erose-truncate ; culms 1.5 dm. tall or less. 3. S. pauciflora. 



Third and fourth scales awned. 4. .S". alpina, 



1. Savastana odorata (L.) Scribn. HOLY-GRASS. SENECA GRASS. (I. F. f. 

 294.) Sheaths smooth; lower leaves elongated, 1-2 dm. long, 2-6 mm. wide, the 

 upper ones 1.25-5 cm - l n g; panicle 5-10 cm. long, its branches 2.5-5 cm - ^ ori g? 

 usually spreading; spikelets yellowish-brown and purple, 4-6 mm. long; first and 

 second scales acute; third and fourth villous and strongly ciliate, awn-pointed. 

 Newf. to Alaska, south to N. J., Wis. and Colo. Also in northern Europe and Asia. 

 June -July. This and other sweet-scented grasses are strewn before the churches in 

 northern Europe, whence the name Holy-grass. Also known as Vanilla-grass. 



2. Savastana Nashii Bicknell. NODDING VANILLA-GRASS. (I. F. f. 2g4a.) 

 Plant smooth, glabrous and shining. Culms erect, slender, 6-9 dm. tall. Sheaths 

 overlapping, striate; leaves erect or ascending, elongated, the culm leaves 5 or 6, 

 5-20 cm. long, 4-6 mm wide, acuminate; panicle long-exserted, loose and open, 1.7- 

 4.5 dm. long, its apex nodding, the capillary branches drooping, the larger 7.5-17.5 

 cm. long, in pairs; spikelets 5-8 mm. long, on capillary pedicels; scales 5, the 

 outer 2 abruptly long -acuminate; the third and fourth scales about 5 mm. long, 

 rough, ciliate on the margins with ascending hairs. Along brackish marshes, N. Y. 

 City. July-Aug. 



3. Savastana pauciflora (R. Br.) Scribn. ARCTIC HOLY-GRASS. (L F. f. 

 295.) Glabrous; culms 1.5 dm. high or less, erect, simple, smooth, sheaths mostly at 

 the base of the culm, overlapping; leaves smooth, the basal ones 2.5-5 cm. long, i 

 mm. wide, involute at least when dry; culm leaves 1.25 cm. long or less, 2 mm. 

 wide, flat; panicle less than 2.5 cm. long, contracted; spikelets few, 3-4 mm. long; 

 first and second scales 3-4 mm. long, smooth and glabrous; third and fourth shorter, 

 scabrous. Arctic America. Summer. 



4. Savastana alpina (Sw.) Scribn. ALPINE HOLY-GRASS. (I. F. f. 296.) 

 Culms 1.5-4.5 dm. tall. Lower leaves elongated, 7.5-15 cm. long, about 2 mm. 

 wide, the upper much shorter, 1.25-5 cm. l n g> 2-4 mm. wide; panicle 1.8-3.7 cm. 

 long, contracted; spikelets 5-7 mm. long, crowded; third and fourth shorter, cili 

 ate on the margins, the former bearing an awn about 2 mm. long, the latter with a 

 more or less bent awn about 6 mm. long; fifth scale acute, usually awn-pointed. 

 Greenland to Alaska, south to the high mountains of N. E. and N. Y. Also in 

 northern Europe and Asia. July-Aug. 



26. ARISTIDA L. 



Grasses varying greatly in habit and inflorescence. Leaves narrow, often in- 

 volute-set iceous. Spikelets narrow, i-flowered. Scales 3, narrow, the two outer 

 carinate; the third rigid and convolute, bearing three awns occasionally united at 

 the base, the lateral awns rarely wanting or reduced to rudiments. Palet 2 -nerved. 



