GRAMINE.E. 249 



glumes are 2, beardless ; inner chafi' oblong, shorter than the 

 glume, awnless. 



Grows about Deerfield on dry hills, and in the vicinity of Bos- 

 ton ; May. 



Leersia. Sw. 3. 2. Cut Grass. 

 Named after the botanist Leers. L. oryzoidef, Sw., and L. 

 Vitginica^ W., are both indigenous to this country, and one of 

 the two is found also in the Levant. The two species are found in 

 ditches and about wet places by sluggish waters ; grow 2 or more 

 feet higii, with a light-green stem, and yellowish-white flowers, 

 which have only one floral envelope ; leaves rough backwards, es- 

 pecially on one of the species, so as to convince one of the ap- 

 propriate name, cut-grass ; common, but not abundant. 



Oryzopsis. Mx. 3. 2. Mountain Rice. 

 Named from the resemblance of the seeds to rice, the name of 

 which is Oryza. 



0. ai^perifoUa. Mx. Found in woods in light soil, 1 -2 feet 

 high, with long, deep-green leaves at the root, erect and stiff, and 

 green through the winter ; panicle simple, flexuous ; seed white, 

 about as large as rice, and farinaceous ; April and May. 



Whether it will be profitable for cultivation, as Pursh proposed, 

 on account of its fine white flour, can be ascertained only by trial. 



PiPTATHERUM. Beauv. 3. 2. 

 This was taken from the last, which it resembles considerably. 



P. nigrum. Torrey. Blackseeded Millet Grass. Flowers 

 in a simple panicle, rather racemed ; inner chaff black and hairy, 

 with a long awn ; 2 - 3 feet high ; leaves long, hnear-lanceolate ; 

 few-flowered ; seed black, a little larger than the rice. 



LoLiUM. L. 3. 2. 

 From the Celtic name of the plant. Loudon. Glume 1-valved 

 to the lower fruit, and 2-valved to the upper ; lower palea with a 

 bristle or awn at the end ; scales v.ith 2 unequal teeth. 



32 



