GRAMINEAE. 145 



about 8 mm. long, lanceolate, acute, scabrous, exceeded by the long-acuminate 

 palets. In wet places, Me. to southern N. Y., Ohio and Tenn. Local. June-Aug. 



92. PUCCINELLIA Parl. 



Perennial grasses, with flat or involute leaves and contracted or open panicles. 

 Spikelets 3-several-flowered. Lower scales empty, obtuse or acute, unequal; 

 flowering scales obtuse or acute, rounded on the back, 5 -nerved, the nerves very 

 obscure or almost wanting. Palet about equalling the scale. Stamens 3. Styles 

 wanting. Stigmas sessile, simply plumose. Grain compressed, usually adhering 

 to the palet. [Name in honor of Benedetto Puccinelli, Italian botanist.] About 14 

 species, in all temperate regions. 



Panicle open, its branches spreading or ascending, rarely erect. 



Lower flowering scales 3-4 mm. long; plant stoloniferous. i. P. maritima. 



Lower flowering scales 2.5 mm. long or less; plants not stoloniferous. 



Second empty scale less than half the length of the flowering scales, broad, ob- 

 tuse or truncate ; spikelets crowded. 2. P. distans. 

 Second empty scale more than half the length of the flowering scales, narrow, 



obtuse or acute ; spikelets not crowded. 3. P, airoides. 



Fanicle contracted, its branches erect, rarely ascending; northern species. 



4. P. angustata. 



1. Puccinellia maritima (Huds.)Parl. GOOSE-GRASS. SEA SPEAR-GRASS. 

 (I. F. f. 493.) Stoloniferous, smooth, glabrous. Culms 1.5-6 dm. tall, erect, or 

 decumbent at the base; leaves 1.25-12.5 cm. long, 2 mm. wide or less, flat to in- 

 volute; panicle 5-15 cm. in length, open, the branches ascending, or rarely erect, 

 2.5-5 cm - l n g; spikelets 3-io-flowered, 6-12 mm. long; empty scales unequal, the 

 first usually I -nerved, the second 3 -nerved; flowering scales 3-4 mm. long, broad, 

 obtuse or truncate. In salt marshes and on sea beaches, N. S. to R. I. Also on 

 the Pacific coast, and on the coasts of Europe and Asia. July-Aug. 



2. Puccinellia distans (L.) Parl. SPREADING MEADOW-GRASS. (I. F. f. 

 494.) Culms 3-6 dm. tall, erect, or sometimes decumbent at the base, tufted. 

 Leaves 1.25-15 cm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, flat or folded, usually stiff and erect, 

 smooth beneath; panicle 5-17.5 cm. in length, open, rarely contracted, the 

 branches spreading or ascending, whorled, the lower 2.5-11.5 cm. long, sometimes 

 reflexed; spikelets crowded, 3-6-flowered, 3-5 mm. long; empty scales obtuse or 

 acute, i-nerved, the second exceeding the first and less than half the length of the 

 obscurely nerved and obtuse flowering scales, which -are 1-2 mm. long. On salt 

 meadows, sea beaches and in waste places, N. S. to N. J. Probably naturalized 

 from Europe. July-Aug. 



3. Puccinellia airoides (Nutt.) Wats. & Coult. SLENDER MEADOW-GRASS. 

 (I. F. f. 495.) Culms 3-12 dm. tall, erect. Leaves 5-10 cm. long, 3 mm. wide or 

 less, flat or involute, usually erect, smooth beneath, rough above ; panicle open, its 

 branches slender, spreading or ascending, rarely erect, the lower 5-8.5 cm. long 

 and often reflexed; spikelets scattered, i-y-flowered, 3-6 mm. long; empty scales 

 unequal, the first acute, i-nerved, the second obtuse or acute, 3-nerved, more than 

 half the length of the obtuse flowering scales, which are 2-2.5 mm - lon g- In sa - 

 line soil, Manitoba to the N. W. Terr., Wash., Neb. and Nev. July-Aug. 



4. Puccinellia angustata (R. Br.) Scribn. ARCTIC MEADOW-GRASS. (I. F. f. 

 496.) Smooth and glabrous. Culms 1-3 dm. tall, erect, simple; leaves 1.25-6.5 

 cm. long, 2 mm. wide or less; panicle 2.5-5 cm - in length, contracted, the branches 

 short and erect or appressed; spikelets 2-7-flowered, 6-8 mm. long; empty scales 

 obtuse or rounded at the apex, the first I-nerved, the second 3-nerved; flowering 

 scales 2.5-3 mm. long, usually purplish, rounded at the apex. Greenland and 

 Hudson Bay to Alaska, south to Me. Also in Europe and Asia. Summer. 



93. FESTUCA L. 



Mostly tufted perennial grasses, with flat or convolute leaves and paniculate in- 

 florescence. Spikelets 2-several-flowered. Two lower scales empty, more or less 

 unequal, acute, keeled; flowering scales membranous, narrow, rounded on the back, 

 5 -nerved, usually acute, and generally awned at the apex. Palet scarcely shorter 

 than the scale. Stamens 1-3. Styles very short, distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain 



