72 rTRIANDRlA, DIGYNIA. 



»^vena spicata, Flliott, p. 174. 



Culm erect, often more than 2 feet hi,^h, nodes distant. 

 Leaves short, flat, ai d subulatf, smooth or pubescent on 

 the under side; sheath v=^ry lonij', sometimes hah'y: sti- 

 pules a minute, silky fring^e, with 2 lateral hairy lufts. 

 Panicle 2 or 3 mclies Icjng, branches several, (3 or 4) 2 

 and 3-flovvered. Cahx striate, scariose (as in Aveiia), lon- 

 ger tlian thespikelet. Corolla, dorsal val'*e olilong'-luncoo- 

 late, with a long- shin.ng- villus particularly conspicuous 

 along the margin, terminating m 2 setaceous pomts nearly 

 its length, awn conioned, and discoloured at the base, 

 ni('ie 'lian twice the length of the valve, and (seen through 

 a lens) scabrous; inner valve about half the length of the 

 outer, distinctly ciliafe as in Broynns. 



From Carf)lina to Florida. Closely allied but very dis- 

 til ct from J), spicata, particularly in the panicle, and the 

 conspicuous silk\ villus of the corolla, as well as theform 

 and proportion of tlie valves. 'J hese 2 spfcies are scarce- 

 ly coHfCtners with the Daiithonia deciimbevs; they appear 

 to form a distinct genus, approximating tv> Bvomus. 



Vo this genus are referred by DecandoUe Festuca de- 

 cumbens and Avena calyciiia, of Europe. 



101. FESTUCA. L, (Fescue-grass.) 



Calix 2 valved. many-flow cred. Spikelets 

 compressed, distichal, acute at either extremi- 

 ty. Uuler valve of the corolla entire, generally 

 terminating in an awn. ** Seed growing to the 



corolla." SCHRADEfJ. 



Culm paniculate, rigid, or fl?^xuose and expanding, 

 spikelets erect, or nodding; flowers son.etimes awnless, 

 mostly terete, inner valve ot the corolla with a smooth 

 margin Nectarium "of 2 ovaie-lanceolate acute leaflets, 

 g-ibbous at their base, or of 1 rather concave horizontal 

 notched leaf,"ScHREBER. Seed oblong, slender, acute at 

 each end, marked with a longi'udinal furrow. 



Species. 1. spicata. Panicle spiked after the manner 

 ©f Uniola spicata, to which it is nearly related, spikelets 

 rather large, about 5-flovvered. glomes of the calix and 

 those of the corolla in the lower flowers very long, and 

 pungently acuminated, but not -distinctly awned; valves 

 lineai-lanceolate; leaves very short, and with the wiiole 

 plant glaucous. On the banks of the Missouri, not afoot 

 high, C(ivering extensive tracts. 2 tenella. 3. myutnis 4. 

 duriuscula. 5. elatior. 6. polyatachija. 7- diandra. Culm 



