POACEAE. 35 



bases of the culms and along the stolons ; leaves 2.5-5 cm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, 

 flat, scabrous above; spikes 4 or 5, digitate, 1-5 cm. long, the rachis flat; 

 spikelets 2 mm. long; outer scales hispid on the keel, narrow, the first shorter 

 than the second. 



Waste and cultivated lands. New Providence. Eleuthera and Inagua : Ber- 

 muda : southern New York to Kansas, Florida and Texas ; warm and tropical regions 

 of both the Old World and the New. Bermuda-grass. 



24. CHLORIS Sw. Prod. 25. 1788. 



Mostly perennial grasses with flat leaves and spicate inflorescence, the 

 spikes few or numerous, verticillate or approximate. Spikelets 1-flowered, ar- 

 ranged in two rows on one side of the rachis. Scales 4; the 2 lower empty, 

 unequal, keeled, acute; third and fourth usually awned, the former subtending 

 a perfect flower; palet folded and 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. 

 Stigmas plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scale. [Greek, greenish -yellow, 

 referring to the color of the herbage.] About fifty species, mostly natives 

 of warm and tropical regions. Type species: Agrostis cruciata L. 



Hairs on the margins or nerves of the third scale short, not manifest, appressed 

 to and not extending beyond the apex. 

 Fourth scale of the spikelet at least one third as long as the second scale and 

 bearing a long awn 4 mm. long or more ; spikes 4-6, widely spreading at 

 maturity. 1. C. Sagraeana. 



Fourth scale of the spikelet rudimentary, bearing an awn 

 less than 4 mm. long ; spikes usually numerous, erect or 

 ascending at maturity. 2. C. racliata. 



Hairs on the margins or nerves of the third scale long, 

 manifest, widely spreading or extending much beyond 

 the apex. 

 Third and fourth scales only awned, the former densely 

 long-hairy on the midnerve, its awn less than twice 

 the length of the scale. 

 Marginal hairs less than one half the length of the body 

 of the scale, barely extending beyond its apex ; spikes 

 3-5. 3. C. ciliata. 



Marginal hairs equaling in length the body of the scale 

 and extending much beyond its apex ; spikes usually 



6 or more. 4. C. polydactyla. 



Third, fourth and fifth scales awned, the first glabrous on 

 the midnerve, its awn about three times the length of the 

 scale. 5. C. paraguiensis. 



1. Chloris Sagraeana A. Eieh. in Sagra, Hist. Cub. 11: 315. 1850. 



Chloris eleusinoides Griseb. El. Brit. W. I. 539. 1864. 



Perennial ; culms ascending, 6 dm. long or less, usually branched below. 

 Leaf-sheaths keeled, the blades narrow, involute; spikes 4-6, slender, 4-8 cm. 

 long, horizontally spreading when old, not pectinate; spikelets imbricated, the 

 fourth scale bearing a filiform awn 4-12 mm. long. 



Waste grounds and roadsides. New Providence, Fortune Island and Inagua : 

 Cuba : Hispaniola : St. Croix ; Antigua : Guadeloupe ; Jamaica. Referred by Hitch- 

 cock to Chloris cruciata Sw. Sagra's Chloris. 



2. Chloris radiata (L.) Sw. Prodr. 26. 1788. 



Agrostis radiata L. PI. Jam. Pugil. 7. 1759. 



Annual; culms decumbent, ascending or erect, 2-4 dm. long, usually 

 branched, smooth and slender. Leaf-sheaths compressed, the blades flat, blunt 

 or short-pointed, 2-15 cm. long; spikes several or many, radiating, slender, 

 4-8 cm. long, not pectinate; spikelets densely imbricated, the fourth scale 

 rudimentary, bearing a filiform awn about 3 mm. long. 



Waste places and roadsides, New Providence : West Indies and tropical con- 

 tinental America. Radiate Chloris. 



