148 POACEAE 



7. Eragrostis mkjor Host. Ill-scented. Stems l.o-G dm. tall, at tirst erect, finally 



decumbent and much Ijranched : leaf-blades 5-18 cm. long, 2-6 mm. wide, flat : panicle 



5-15 cm. long, its branches spreading or ascending : spikelets 8-35-flowered, 5-16 mm. 



long and about 3 mm. wide, flat, the flowering scales obtuse, 2-2.5 mm. long, the lateral 



nerves prominent. [E. megastaclu/a hink.l 



In cultivated and waste places, nearly throughout North America. Naturalized from Europe. 

 Summer and fall. Skunk Grass. 



8. Eragrostis lugens Nees. Stems tufted, slender, 2-3 dm. tall : leaf-sheath.c, at 

 least the lower ones, papillose-hirsute with long spreading hairs ; blades erect, papillose- 

 hirsute with long spreading hairs, 3-9 cm. long, 1.5-3 mm. wide : panicle 1-2 dm. long, 

 its branches long and ascending : spikelets 3-7-flowered, 3.5-4.5 mm. long, 1.3 mm. wide. 



• In dry soil, southern peninsular Florida. Also in Mexico and South America. Spring and summer. 



9. Eragrostis curtipedicellata Kuckl. Stems 1.5-9 dm. tall, erect, rigid : leaf- 

 sheaths overlapping, pilose at the summit ; blades 5-20 cm. long, 2-4 nun. Avide, rough 

 above : panicle 1-3 dm. long, the branches widely spreading : spikelets 5-12-flowered, 

 3-6 mm. long, the flowering scales about 1.75 mm. long, the lateral nerves prominent. 



On prairies, Kansas to Texas. Summer and fall. 



10. Eragrostis pectinacea (Michx. ) Steud. Stems 3-8 dm. tall, rigid : leaf-sheaths 

 overlapping, glabrous or pubescent, the upper one often enclosing the base of the panicle ; 

 blades 1-3 dm. long, 4-8 mm. wide, rough above : panicle 1.5-6 dm. long, purple or 

 purplish, its branches widely spreading or the lower ones reflexed, strongly bearded in the 

 axils: spikelets 5-15-flowered, 3-8 mm. long, the flowering scales about 1.75 mm. long, 

 their lateral nerves very prominent. 



In dry usually sterile soil. New Hampshire to South Dakota, Florida and Texas. Summer and fall. 



11. Eragrostis refrdcta (Muhl. ) Scribn. Stems 3-9 dm. tall, slender: leaf -sheaths 

 overlapping, glabrous ; blades 1-3 dm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, rough above and villous to- 

 ward the base : panicle 2-5 dm. long, its slender branches finally widely spreading, the 

 axils often bearded : spikelets 6-25-fiowered, 5-12 mm. long, the flowering scales acumi- 

 nate, 1.5-2 mm. long, the lateral nerves prominent. {^E. campestris Trin. ] 



In moist soil, Delaware and Maryland to Florida and Texas. Summer and fall. 



12. Eragrostis Ellidttii S. Wats. Stems tufted, firm, erect, 4-10 dm. tall : leaf- 

 sheaths glabrous ; blades 4 dm. long or less, 3-5 mm. wide, smooth beneath, rough above, 

 long-acuminate : panicle diffuse, 2-5 dm. long, its long slender branches finally widely 

 spreading or ascending: spikelets 6-13-flowered, 5-10 nnii. long, the flowering scales 

 1.75-2 mm. long, the lateral nerves prominent. [J5J. nitida Ell.] 



In dry soil, South Carolina to Florida and Louisiana. Fall. 



13. Eragrostis trichodes (iSutt. ) Nash. Stems 6-12 dm. tall : leaf-sheaths overlap- 

 ping, pilose at the throat ; blades 1.5-7 dm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, attenuate into long 

 slender tips : panicle 2-7 dm. long, narrow and elongated, the branches capillary, the lower 

 axils sometimes bearded : spikelets usually pale, or sometimes purple-tinged, 3-10-flowered, 

 5-9 mm. long, the flowering scales acute, the lower ones 2.5-3 mm. long, their lateral nerves 

 manifest. 



In dry sandy soil, Ohio and Illinois to Nebraska, Arkansas and Texas. Summer and fall. 



14. Eragrostis simplex Scribn. Stems densely tufted, ascending, 2-5 dm. tall, rather 

 stiff : leaf-sheaths and blades usually sparsely pubescent, the latter erect or ascending, 

 7-10 cm. long and 2-4 mm. wide : panicle 1-2 dm. long, its branches stiff and widely 

 spreading, usually 2-4 cm. long: spikelets 12-40-flowered, 5-17 mm. long, 1.6-2 mm. 

 wide. IE. B roumei Chapm., not Nees. ] 



In waste places and in ditches, Florida. Summer and fall. 



15. Eragrostis secundiflora Presl. Stems tufted, 1-9 dm. tall : leaf-blades 3 dm. 

 long or less, 2-4 mm. wide : panicle 4-15 cm. long, its branches short and erect : spikelets 

 crowded and clustered, 12-20-flowered, 6-14 mm. long, 3-4 mm. wide. [E. oxylepk Torr.] 



In sandy soil, Missouri and Kansas to Mississippi and Texas. Also in Mexico. Summer and fall. 



16. Eragrostis Beyricbii J. G. Smith. Stems tufted, 1-5 dm. tall : leaf-blades 

 2 dm. long or less, 1-2 mm. wide, involute when dry : panicle 3-20 cm. long, its branches 

 short and erect : spikelets crowded and clustered, 12-42-flowered, usually 1-2 cm. long and 

 about 5 ram. wide, the flowering scales about 4 mm. long, acuminate, in side view cuneate. 



In sandy places, Texas. Also in Mexico. Summer. 



17. Eragrostis ciliaris (L. ) Link. Annual. Stems densely tufted, erector ascend- 

 ing, slender, 1.5-4 dm. tall, often branching : leaf-sheaths usually ciliate on the margin 

 and with a tuft of long hairs at the apex ; blades flat, ascending, 2-8 cm. long, 2-4 ram. 

 wide : panicle spike-like, often interrupted below, 3-10 cm. long, its branches short and 



