70 TRIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. spartina. 



lines wide, somewhat glaucous, at first flat, but at length con- 

 volute on the edges. Sheaths shorter than the joints, smooth. 

 Stifiule bearded. Sfiikes linear, about 3 inches long, scatteredj 

 generally alternate, on scabrous peduncles half an inch or an 

 inch long, spreading when the flowers are perfected. Flowers 

 arranged on 2 sides of a depressed triangular rachis. Calysr 

 strongly serrulate on the keel ; inferior glume about a third tne 

 length of the superior, linear, acute ; superior glume linear- 

 lanceolate, nerveless, very acute but scarcely awned. Corolla 

 awnless, nearly equal, shorter than tlie superior glume of the 

 calyx, lanceolate, without awns, serrulate on the keel. Sfa- 

 mens 3 ; anthers linear, yellow. Style a little cleft ; (stylee 

 connate ?) stigmas white. Seed linear-oblong, coated. 

 Hab. On the borders of salt-marshes, and on the sea-coast; 

 common. In meadows about Albany. Mr. Tracy. In 

 Pennsylvania. Muhlenberg. August. 



This species varies a little in the leaves and spikes. Whei^ 

 it grows near the salt-water, the leaves are often convolute on 

 the edges. In the specimens sent to me from Albany by Mr. 

 Tracy, the spikes are of a yellowish colour, and the superior 

 glume of the calyx is produced into a short awn. 



2. S, juncea Willd,: leaves distichous, convolute, 

 spreading ; spikes few, (1 — 3,) pedunculate ; peduncles 

 smooth ; corolla rather obtuse ; styles 2. Willd. Enum. I. 

 p. 81. M uhl. Gram. Tp. 5^. Big. Bost, p. ]7. Elliott 

 Sk. 1. p. 94. Rotm. ^ Schull. II. p. 263. Trachy- 

 NOTiA juncea M ich, Fl. I. p. 64. Limnetis juncca P ers. 

 Syn.]. p. 72. Pursh Fl. I. p. 59. Sp. pumila Roth. 

 Rotm. <^ Schult. II. p. 262. 



Root extensively creeping. Culm about a foot and a half high, 

 erect, terete, rigid, smooth, sometimes cespitose at the base. 

 Leaves 8 — 12 inches long, almost setaceous. Sheaths remote, 

 spreading ; Stifiule ciliate. Spikes generally 3, rarely 5 ; the 

 lower ones distinctly pedunculate, an inch and a half long, 

 linear-lanceolate. Rachis compressed. Calyx very unequal ; 

 the superior glume 1 -third the length of the other, and very 

 narrow. Corolla with the inferior valve shorter, lanceolate, 

 serrulate-ciliate on the keel ; apex slightly cleft ; superior 

 valve lanceolate, nearly smooth on the back ; apex entire. 

 Stamens 3; anthers linear, purpje. Style cleft nearly to the 

 base; each stigma with a small fpathered process jjrowing 

 from its side. Seed oblong. 



Hab. On the gravelly banks of rivers near the salt->yater, an4 

 on the sea-coast. Also in salt-marshes. July— August. 



The S. patens of Muhlenberg (Gram. p. 55.) is pro- 

 bably only a variety of the plant described above. 



3. S. glabra Muhl.: leaves concave, erect; spikes 

 alternate, sessile, erect, appressed ; corolla nearly smooth on 

 the keel; style cleft about half way down. MuhL Gram. 



