^A. TRIANDRIA. DIGYNIA. 11^ 



Sk, I. p. 163. Humb. et Bon pi, nov. gm, et spec. I. 

 p. 127. (fide R, ^ S.) P. hypnoides Lam. III.. 1. p. 185. 

 Megastachva reptan-t et hypnoides P. de B ea uv. R o e m, 

 .^ SchulU II. p. 589. 



Root fibrous, annual ? Culm about a span long, rooting at the 

 joints. Leaves subulate, flat, minutely puliescent on the upper 

 surface. Sheaths open, striate, a little hairy on the margin and 

 at the throat. Panicle an inch or uvo long ; branches nearly 

 simple, short, each terminated by several compressed, pedi- 

 cellate spikelets. Glumes unequal, very acute, carinate, with- 

 out nerves. Corolla very unequal ; the inferior valve with three 

 distinct, green nerves, smooth ; superior valve much shorter 

 than the other, acute, bifid at the apex. Seed ovate, brown. 



Hab. In shady swamps on the banks of rivers; rare near New- 

 York. On the banks of the Connecticut, near Dcerfield. Mas- 

 sachusetts. Coo ley. Near Hudson, New-York. Abbott, 

 July — August. A very delicate and elegant grass. 



/S. ccBspitosa*: culm very short, cespitose ; spikelets much 

 crowded, oblong. 



H.\B. On the banks of the Passaic river, New-Jersey. 



I have followed Pursh and Humboldt and Bori' 

 ill and in considering Michau x^s plant the same as the 

 P. hyfinoides of Lamar k^ which does not appear to differ 

 essentially ; the P. refitans^ according to Mr. £1 lio t f, some- 

 times bearing as many as 40 florets in a spikelet. 



21. P. Eragrostis L. : panicle equal, spreading, the 

 lower branches hairy in the axils ; spikelets linear-lanceolate, 

 9 — 15-flowered ; florets obtuse; root fibrous. fVilld. Spec, 

 I. p. 392. Schrad. Fl. Germ. I. p. 287. Pursh Fl. I. 

 p. 80. Elliott Sk. I. p. 161. Eragrostis poceoides P, 

 dtBeauv. R o e m. <V Schult. II. p. 574. Briz a Era- 

 grostis Muhl. Gram, p. 154. B, caroliniana Walt, Car, 

 p. 79. Poa ohtusa Kuit, Gen., f. p. 67. 



Root annual. Culm geniculate and branching near the base, a 

 foot or 18 inches long. Leaves 6 — 12 inches I'jng, flat and 

 smooth, rarely hairy. Sheaths a little open. Stifiule bearded. 

 Panicle pyramidal ; branches simple or in pairs, flttxuous, 

 short. Sfiikelets of a leaden colour, varying from ovate-lance- 

 olate to linear, sometimes bearing as many as 20 florets. Glumes 

 acute, one of them broader, 3 nerved, often hairy, and, as well 

 as the corolla, with several small warts on the keel. Corolla 

 unequal ; superior valve often rather acute, 3-nerved, smooth j 

 the superior one persistent, much smaller than the other, hol- 

 lowed on the back, ciliate on the margin. Stamens 3. Styles 

 short; stigmas simply plumose. Seed short-ovate, brown. 



Hab. In sandy fields, on road-sides. Sec. July—- August. Com- 

 mon around New-York. 



