GRASS FA:^nLY 



195 



60. BRIZA L. Sp. PI. 70. 1753. 



Spikelets several-flowered, broad, often cordate, the florets crowded and spreading hori- 

 zontally, the rachilla glabrous, disarticulating above the glumes and between the florets, the 

 uppermost floret reduced; glumes about equal, broad, papery-chartaceous with scarious mar- 

 gins ; lemmas papery, broad and scarious-margined, semicordate at base, several-nerved, the 

 nerves often obscure, the apex in our species obtuse or acutish; palea much shorter than the 

 lemma. Low annuals or perennials, with erect culms, flat blades, and usually open showy 

 panicles, the pedicels in our species being capillary, allowing the spikelets to vibrate in the 

 wind. [Greek for a kind of grain.] 



Species about 20, the two found in the United States introduced from Europe. Type species, Bri:a 

 media L. 



Panicle drooping; spikelets 10 mm. broad. 

 Panicle erect; spikelets not over 4 mm. broad. 



1. Briza maxima L. 

 Large Quaking-grass. Fig. 447. 



Briza maxima L. Sp. PI. 70. 1753. 



Annual; culms erect or decumbent at base. 30-60 

 cm. tall ; panicle drooping, few-flowered ; spikelets 

 ovate, 12 mm. long or more, 10 mm. broad, the pedi- 

 cels slender, drooping; glumes and lemmas usually 

 purple- or brown-margined. 



A native of Europe; sometimes cultivated in gardens for 

 ornament; sparingly escaped in California (Big Sur, Davy). 

 Type locality, Europear 



1. B. maxima. 



2. B. minor. 



2. Briza minor L. 



Small Quaking-grass. Fig. 448. 



Bj-ica minor L. Sp. PI. 70. 1753. 



Annual; culms erect, 10-40 cm. tall; panicle 

 erect, pyramidal, many-flowered. the main 

 branches stifTly ascending, the capillary branch- 

 lets spreading; spikelets triangular-ovate, 3 mm. 

 long. 



Naturalized from Europe, rather common from central 

 California to British Columbia; also in the Eastern States. 

 :\Iay-Tuly. Type locality, European. 



61. DACTYLIS L. Sp. PI. 71. 1753. 



Spikelets few-flowered, compressed, nearlv sessile in dense 1-sided fascicles, these ar- 

 ranged at the ends of the few branches of a panicle, the rachilla finally disarticulatmg between 

 the spikelets; glumes 2, unequal, carinate, acute, 

 hispid-ciliate on the keel; lemmas compressed- 

 keeled, mucronate, 5-nerved, ciliate on the keel. 

 Perennials with flat blades and fascicled spikelets. 

 [Greek, a finger.] 



Species 2 or 3, one cultivated and naturalized in the 

 United States. Type species, Dactylis glomerata L. 



1. Dactylis glomerata L. 



Orchard-grass. 



Fio-. 449. 



Dactylis glomerata L. Sp. PI. 71. 1753. 



Plants in large tussocks ; culms erect, 60-120 cm. 

 tall; blades broadly linear; panicle 7-15 cm. long, 

 the few stiff branches naked below, contracted after 

 flowering; spikelets crowded in dense 1-sided 

 clusters at the ends of the branches. 



A native of Europe, commonly cultivated in the cooler 

 regions of the United States as a meadow grass. Escaped 

 along roadsides and in waste places, especially at inter- 

 mediate altitudes, throughout our area. June-Aug. Type 

 locality. European. 



