202 



GRAMINEAE. 



VOL. I 



43. CINNA L. Sp. PI. 5. 1753. 



Tall grasses with flat leaf-blades and panicled spikelets. Spikelets i-flo\vered. Scales 3; 

 the 2 outer empty, keeled, acute; the third scale similar, but usually short-awned on the back, 

 subtending a palet and a stalked perfect flower; palet a little shorter, i- or 2-nerved. 

 Stamen i. Styles short, distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain narrow, free, enclosed in the 

 scale and palet. Seed adherent to the pericarp. [Greek, from Dioscorides.] 



Four known species, inhabiting temperate regions of Europe and North America. Besides the 

 following, another occurs in the western United States. Type species : Cinna arundinacea L. 

 Panicle narrow at maturity, its filiform branches erect or drooping; spikelets 2^/2"-^," long; first 

 scale much shorter than the second. i. C. arundinacea. 



Panicle open, its capillary branches flexuous and drooping; spikelets i l / 2 "-2" long; first scale 

 about equalling the second. 2. C. latifolia. 



i. Cinna arundinacea L. Wood or Sweet 

 Reed-grass. Fig. 485. 



Cinna arundinacea L. Sp. PI. 5. 1753. 



Culms 2-5 tall, erect, simple, smooth and 

 glabrous. Sheaths usually shorter than the in- 

 ternodes, overlapping at the base of the culm, 

 smooth or roughish; ligule i"-2" long, truncate; 

 blades 6'-i long, 2"-?" wide, scabrous; panicle 

 6'-i2' in length, usually contracted, sometimes 

 purple, the filiform branches erect or drooping, 

 the lower \\'-^\' long; spikelets 2.\"-^" in length, 

 the scales acute, scabrous, especially on the keel, 

 the first one shorter than the second ; third scale 

 slightly exceeded or equalled by the second, usu- 

 ally bearing an awn about i" long from the 

 2-toothed apex. 



In moist woods and swamps, Nova Scotia to On- 

 tario, Georgia and Texas. Ascends to 1700 ft. in 

 North Carolina. Indian Reed-grass. Aug.-Sept. 



2. Cinna latifolia (Trev.) Griseb. Slender 

 Wood or Sweet Reed-grass. Fig. 486. 



Agrostis latifolia Treviran, in Goeppert, Beschr. d. Bot. 



Gart. Breslau, 82. 1830. 

 Cinna pendula Trin. Mem. Acad. St. Petersb. (VI.) 6 : 



280. 1841. 

 C. latifolia Griseb. in Ledeb. Fl. Ross. 4: 435. 1853. 



Culms 2-4 tall, erect, usually slender, simple, 

 smooth and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the in- 

 ternodes, sometimes slightly scabrous; ligule i"-2" 

 long ; blades 4'-io' long, 2"-6" wide, scabrous ; 

 panicle s'-io' in length, open, the capillary branches 

 generally spreading, flexuous and often drooping, 

 the lower i-$' in length; spikelets ii"-2" long: 

 scales scabrous, the outer acute, strongly hispid on 

 the keel, the first about equalling the second; third 

 scale usually exceeded by the second and bearing a 

 rough awn i"-i" long from the 2-toothed apex. 



In damp woods, Newfoundland to British Columbia, 

 New Jersey and Washington and in the Alleghanies to 

 North Carolina, and in the Rocky Mountains to Colo- 

 rado and Utah. Also in northern Europe. Ascends to 5000 ft. in the Adirondacks. Aug.-Sent. 



44. AGROSTIS L. Sp. PI. 6. 1753. 



Annual or perennial tufted grasses with flat or bristle-like leaves and paniculate inflores- 

 cence. Spikelets i-flowered. Scales 3; the 2 outer empty, membranous, keeled, acute; the 

 third shorter, obtuse, hyaline, sometimes bearing a dorsal awn, subtending a perfect flower ; 

 palet shorter than the scale, sometimes minute or wanting. Stamens usually 3. Styles dis- 

 tinct, short. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scale. Seed adherent to the 

 pericarp. [Name Greek, referring to the field habitat of many species.] 



A genus of about 100 species, distributed throughout the world, numerous in temperate regions; 

 15 others are found in western North America. Type species: Agrostis alba L. 

 Palet conspicuous, at least one-half as long as the scale. 



Panicle open in flower, branches long and spreading; an upland grass, i. A. alba. 



