ns TRIANDRTA. DIGYNIA. uralepis. 



anthers purple. Seed oblong, brown, acuminate at each extre- 

 mity. Nectaries ? 

 Hab. Aion» the sea-coast, in the sand-drifts; common in the 

 harbour of New-Y irk, above high-water mark. In sandy fields 

 of Now-York and New-Jersey. Near Philadelphia. J^u t tall. 

 August. Wiiole plant covered with a viscid acid secretion, of 

 a powerful and peculiar taste. The acid is probably the malic. 

 This species is very nearly allied to the U. purpurea of 

 Kuttall^ (AiRA fiurfiurea Walt. tX E II i o 1 1 ;) but the 

 latter is distinguished by the bristle of the corolla being as long 

 as the flowers, 



30. TRICUSPIS. Beauvois, 



Spikelets terete, tumid, many - flovvered. Cali^x 

 2-valved, carinate, shorter than the florets. Inferior 

 valve of the corolla tricuspidate by the projecting carina 

 and margins; base and sides villose ; superior valve 

 emarginate. Nectaries obtuse, entire. P. de B ea u v. 

 t. XV. f. 10. Tridens Roem. ^ Schult. Gen. 

 306. WiNDSORiA Nutt. Gen. I. p. 70. Po^ spp. 

 Mich,, Ell.i Trin., &c. Panicle compound, 



T. seskrioides*: panicle expanding and flexuous ; spike- 

 lets all pedunculate, about 6-flowered, lanceolate ; inferior 

 valve of the corolla ovate, 5-toothed. Poa seslerioides M i c he 

 FL I. p. 68. J\I ti h I, Gram, p, 1 49. P. quinqxiejida P u rs k 

 F/. 1. p. 81. Elliott Sk,\. p. 164. VVjndsoria ;)Offi/or- 

 '3ms Nutt. Gen. I, p. 70. Tridens qmnqucjida Roem. ^ 

 Schult. 11. p. 599. Triodia cuprta J ac q. Eclpg. gram, 

 fasc, II. p. 21. t. 16. (fide R. (^ S, et Spreng.) Poa Jlava 

 L, Sp, pi. 1 00. fVi 1 1 d. Spec. 1. p. 390. R o e m. <^ S c hu 1 1. 

 II. p. 551. P. /axa Lam. ///. I. p. 183. P. subverticiltata 

 P ers. Syn. L p. 92. 



Root perennial. Culm 4 — 5 feet high, a little compressed below, 

 erect, very smooth. Leaves a foot or 18 inches long, smooth, 

 flat, nervose ; the lowest ones somewhat distichous. Sheaths 

 shorter than the joints, very smooth, except at the throat, which 

 is bearded. Stipule wanting. Panicle very large, at first erect, 

 but, when old, spreading and pendulous; branches alternate or 

 geminate, very long, a little hairy in the axils; the lower parts 

 naked. Spikelets alternate, on short branches, 4 — 6-flovvered, 

 of a dark purple colour. Glumes unequal, scarious, ovate, 

 acuminate, mucronate, or almost awned by the projecting mid- 

 rib; lateral nerves wanting. Inferior valve of the corolla very 

 villous on th;; margins and back, near the base, with 3 very dis- 

 tinct green nerves, which are continued beyond the valve, form- 

 ing cusps; tlie middle cusp longest; the intermediate parts 

 between the points are elongated, making the valv« 5-toothed 



