TRIANDRIA. DlGTNIA, 63 



iicr valve about the length of the calix, 2-nerved, arched 

 over the seed, nerves niari^ined above with iiuerrupted 

 tufts, of dt-nse villus. Seed subterete, enlarg-ed and inflect- 

 ed above. At the base of the inner valve in the upper- 

 most flower there is either a barren ped.cell wuh an obtuse 

 point, or a third imperfect awned flower. 



2. *aristtdata. Valves of the calix untqual, obtuse, and 

 lacerate, about 3-flo\\ered; lateral teelh of the outer co- 

 rolla valve obtuse, and the diwn very short. 



Near Wilmington, Delaware, — Dr. Bald^'in. 



Obs. Perhaps only a variety of ihe former. Upper leaves 

 entirely sheathint^; 'spikelets aimosts terete, 3 flowered, 

 dorsal awn merely visible, lateral teeth obtuse, nerves pu- 

 bescent; iimer valve inflected, fiing-ed to the summit. — I'a- 

 lix very acute at the base, purple, m both species persist- 

 ent, corolla stipitate, villous at the base. 



Near as th:s g-enu.s aproaches Trisetiim in its artificial 

 character, it is still widely separated by liabit, and would 

 never probably be referred to Avena, being- disting-uished 

 from both those genera by the remarkable saiallness of 

 the calix, its truncate appearavice, and want of nerves, as 

 v;ell as the singular inequahly or gibbosity of the corolla, 



92. MELICA. L. (Melic-gras.s.) 



Calix coloured, 2-valved, 2-flowered; glumes 

 loose, obtuse, membranaceous, and unequal. 

 Corolla 2-valved, vcntricose, smaller than the 

 calix; the rudiment of a third flower betwixt 

 the flosculi. 



Panicle in the form of a spike or raceme, rarely more 

 compound; flowers large. In the M. vnifnra the calix is 

 but 1-flowered; and in the M. aspera 3-flowei-ed. To the 

 generic character of Melica, Sclirader adds *' stamens 

 dilated and combined at their base; riectarv of 1 leaf" 



Species. 1. M. glabra. 2. diffusa? (I have seen a third 

 species from the Northern states collected by Mr. Bige- 

 low, in which the corolla glumes are obovate and villous, 

 a little shorter than the scariose calix, disposed on a ra 

 ceme-like panicle.) Of this genus there are species in 

 Africa, Europe, and South America. It is, however, a ge- 

 nus neither numerous nor common. 



93. HOLCUS. L. (Soft-grass.) 



Calix 2 flowered, 2-valved, (opaque and ner- 

 vose.) Corolla smaller,. 2.vaived, the exterior 



