238 



POACEAE 



4. Lolium subulatum \^is. 

 Narrow-spiked Rye-grass. Fig. 563. 



Lolium subulatum Vis. Fl. Dalm. 1: 90. pi. S. 1S42. 



Annual ; culms bushy-branched at base, stiffly spread- 

 ing or prostrate ; sheaths and blades smooth ; spike 

 stout, rigid, often curved; spikelets partially sunken 

 in the excavations of the rachis. the florets partially 

 hidden by the appressed obtuse, strongly nerved glume; 

 lemmas 5 mm. long. 



Introduced from Europe; rare. Oregon (Portland, on bal- 

 last, Sheldon). July. Type locality, European. 



71. LEPTURUS R. Br. Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 207. 1810. 

 [MoNERMA Beauv. Ess. Agrost. 116. pi. 20. f. 10. 1812.] 

 Spikelets l-flowered, iinbedded in the hard cylindric articulate rachis, placed edge- 

 wise thereto, the first glume wanting, except on the terminal spikelet, the second glume 

 closing the cavity of the rachis and flush with the surface, indurate, nerved, acuminate, 

 longer than the joint of the rachis; lemma lying next the rachis, hyaline, shorter than the 

 glume, 3-nerved; palea hyaline, 2-nerved, a little shorter than the lemma. Low annuals 

 or perennials with hard cylindric spikes. [Greek, slender-tail.] 



Species 3, all from the eastern hemisphere, one introduced in California. Type species, Rottboellia 

 repens Forst. 



1. Lepturus cylindricus (Willd.) Trin. 

 Thin Tail. Fig. 564. 



Rottboellia cylindrica Willd. Sp. PI. 1: 464. 1797. 

 Lepturus cylindricus Trin. Fund. Agrost. 123. 1820. 

 Monerma cylindrica Coss. & Dur. Expl. Alger. 2: 214. 1867. 



Culms bushy-branched, spreading or prostrate, 

 10-30 cm. tall; spike cylindric, curved, narrowed 

 upward; glume 6 mm. long, acuminate; lemmas 5 

 mm. long, pointed, scarious ; axis disarticulating at 

 maturity, the spikelets remaining attached to the 

 joints. 



Salt marshes, San Francisco Bay, south to San Diego 

 introduced from Europe. June. Type locality, European. 



72. PHOLIURUS Trin. Ftmd. Agrost. 131. 1820. 

 Spikelets 1 or 2-fiowered, imbedded in the articulate rachis; glumes 2, placed in 

 front of the floret and inclosing it, coriaceous, 5-nerved, acute, unsymmetric, appearing like 

 halves of a single split glume ; lemma lying next to the axis, smaller than the glumes, hyaline, 

 keeled, scarcely more than 1-nerved ; palea a little shorter than the lemma, hyaline. 2-nerved. 

 Low annuals with cylindric spikes. [Greek, scaly-tail.] 



Species 4, in the eastern hemisphere, one introduced in the United States. Type species, Rottboellia 

 pannonica Host. 



