174 



POACEAE 



5. Danthonia californica Boland. ' 

 California Wild Oat-2rass. Fisf. 394. 



Danthonia californica Boland. Proc. Calif. Acad. 2: 182. 



1863. 

 Merathrcptcj californica Piper, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 11: 



122. 1906. 



Resembling D. ajiicricaiia; culms 60-90 cm. tall; 

 sheaths smooth or somewhat pilose at the throat; 

 blades scabrous above, longer, especially those of 

 the less numerous innovations; teeth of lemma more 

 gradually acuminate. 



Dry hills in the Transition Zone; British Columbia south 

 to San Luis Obispo, east to Colorado, rare in the Sierra 

 Nevada. June-July. Type locality: Oakland. 



42. CAPRIOLA Adam. Fam. PI. 2: 31, 532. 1763. 

 [Cynodon Rich.; Pers. Syn. 1: 85. 1805.] 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, awnless, sessile in 2 rows along one side of a slender continuous 

 rachis, the rachilla disarticulating above the glumes, and prolonged behind the palea, sometimes 

 bearing a minute bract; glumes narrow, acuminate, 1-nerved, about equal, shorter than the 

 floret; lemma strongly compressed, pubescent on the keel, firm in texture, 3-nerved, the 

 lateral nerves close to the margins. Perennial usually low grasses with creepmg stolons 

 or rhizomes, short blades and several slender spikes digitate at the summit of the upright 

 flowering stems. [Mediaeval Latin for the wild goat.] 



Species 6, one, C. dactylon, being widely distributed in the warm regions of the globe. Type species, 

 Panicum dactylon L. 



1. Capriola dactylon (L. ) Kuntze. 

 Bermuda Grass. Fig. 395. 



Panicnm dactylon L. Sp. PI. 58. 1753. 

 Cxnodon dactylon Pers. Syn. PI. 1: 85. 1805. 

 Capriola dactylon Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2: 764. 1891. 



Culms flattened, wiry, glabrous ; ligule a conspicuous 

 ring of white hairs; spikes 4 or 5, 2.5-5 cm. long; 

 spikelets imbricated, 2 mm. wide, the lemma longer 

 than the glumes. 



A native of the warmer parts of the Old World, now 

 widely cultivated in the western hemisphere from Virginia 

 to Argentina. Not uncommon in California, especially along 

 irrigating ditches; occasional in Oregon. Abundantly estab- 

 lished in the southern part of the United States. June-Aug. 

 Tyije locality, European. 



43. SPARTINA Schreb. ; Gmel. Syst. Veg. 1 : 123. 1791. 



Spikelets 1-flowered, much flattened laterally, sessile and usually closely imbricated in 

 2 rows on one side of a continuous rachis, the pedicel disarticulating below the glumes, 

 the rachilla not produced beyond the floret; glumes keeled, 1-nerved, acute or short-awned. 

 the first shorter, the second often exceeding the lemma; lemma firm, keeled, the lateral 

 nerves obscure, narrowed to a rather obtuse point ; palea 2-nerved, keeled and flattened, the 

 keel between or at one side of the nerves. Stout erect often tall perennials with usually 

 extensively creeping firm scaly rhizomes, long tough blades, and 2 to many appressed 

 or sometimes spreading spikes scattered along the main axis. [Greek, a cord.] 



Species about 14, all North American except 2 or 3 along the coast of Europe, Africa, and South 

 America. Type species, Spartina schrebcri Gmel. 



Spikes closely approximate, forming a cylindric inflorescence; blades smooth. 1. S. foliosa. 



Spikes distinct, appressed or spreading; blades scabrous on margin or surface. 



Second glume awned; spikes numerous, ascending or spreading. 2. S". michaiixiana. 



Second glume acute but not awned; spikes few, appressed. 3. S. gracilis. 



