SECT IIOPtTUS JAMAICENSIS. 8j, 



BEARDED GRASS, ARISTIDA. 



Cl. 3, OR. 2. Triainiria diay?!/}!. Nat. oit. Gmiiu'no'. 



Thisname is derived from ari.i/a, an awn or beard. 



Gen. chau. Ca'.yx a one flowered hiviilved gkime;^ corolla, a bivalved glume, 

 thicker than the calyx, onter valve linear, inner lanceolate, nectarv' two-leaved ; 

 fdaments capillarv, anthers oblong' ; jjer.ii turbinate, styles cai)illarv, stij^nias 

 villose ; no pericarp ; the glnnie cmn-tTging- ; seed one hiiform, the length of the. 

 corolla, naked; there are tuo species, naiivci of Jamaica. 



1. AUSCENSlONISi 



Cramen arenaceum^ panicula mivus sparsa, ciijus sini^iil^ f^rcnia, firs 

 ai-'sfas /(ingi.ssimas hahcyit. Sloane, v. 1, p. ,16, t., 2, f. 5, 6. - 

 Spica la.va tenui aristislbngissimis crinila. Browne, p. 135. 

 Panicle branching, spikes scattered, corollas one-valved. 



Tiie culms in tufts, fi-jm one to two feet high. Leaves very slender and filiform. - 

 Florets on short pedicels, iKirrow, brown. Seed very minute, acmiiinate. Broune 

 says this plant is frequent in .famaica, and selcloiii rises above ten or twelve inches fro:a 

 t!ie ground, the stalks slender, panicles simple and bearded. Sioaue found it in Bar~ 

 badoes.. , 



2, ARTERICANA. AMERICAN. 



Minor, panicula e. spia's simplicibus composita, glumis hexasetis.^. 

 Browne, .p. 135.- 



Panicle simple, corollas two-valved, middle one longer, smooth. 

 The stalk rises half a foot high, jointed, and sub-divided. Leaves linear, stiff, even. 

 Panicle v.'ith simple alijernate spreading branches ; the florets mostly pointing one way, ' 

 'alternate, approsiip.ated, pressed close. Tiie anthers are red. Tixis being,, less thaa 

 the I'ormej", Browne calls it the smaller bearded grass. 



Beef Wood See Bully Tree. 



BEET.' BETA. 



Cl. 5, OR. 2. Penfandria digym'a. Nat. ok. ITolnracea. 

 This takes its name from the form of its seed vessel, v.hich, v.hea it swells wiih seed 

 feas the form of the letter so called in tiie Greek alphabet. 



Gen. char. -The calyx is a five-leave I periaritiiium ; there is no corolla ; stamina 

 are subulate filaments, with roundish antiiers; the pistil has tiie gerraen lie'ow the 

 receptacle; styles short and erect ; stigmas acute ; the pericarpium is within the 

 bottom of the calyx, one-celled and deci'iuous : seeds si:>gle. kidncv-fonn in- 

 volved in the calyx. Tiiis is a native of Europe, tiie most useful species has been 

 introduced into this island. 



Vl'LGARIS. COM^^0N. 



Sowers heaiied ; leaflets of the calyx toothed at the base. 



