POACEAE. 43 



acute; flowering glumes longer than the empty ones, 

 many-nerved, acute, rigid; palea 2-keeled. Stamens 3. 

 Styles thickened at the base, rather long, distinct. 

 Grain free, enclosed in the glume and palea. 



1. D. spicata (L.) Greene. (Salt-grass.) Culms rather stout, 

 from creeping scaly rootstocks, rigid, erect, 1-5 dm. high; sheaths 

 numerous, glabrous, bearded at the throat; blades pale green, 3-10 

 cm. long, 3 mm. wide at base, spreading, rigid, margins minutely 

 ciliate; panicle spike-like, 3-8 cm. long, its branches appressed; 

 spikelets 8-12 mm. long, keeled; empty glumes obtuse, first 2-3 

 mm. long, second 4 mm. long; flowering glume of sterile spikelets 

 3-5 mm. long, of fertile spikelets 5-6 mm. long. 



Very common in low subsaline places along the coast and in 

 interior valleys. 



31. DACTYLIS L. Orchard-grass. 



A tall perennial grass with flat leaves and paniculate 

 inflorescence. Spikelets 3-5-flowered, short pedicelled, 

 in dense capitate clusters. Flowers perfect or the upper 

 staminate. The 2 outer empty glumes thin membran- 

 ous, unequal, keeled, mucronate; flowering glumes larger 

 than the empty ones, rigid, 5-nerved, keeled, the mid- 

 nerve extended into a point or short awn. Palea shorter 

 than the glume, 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. 

 Grain free, enclosed in the glume and palea. 



1. D. glomerata L. Culms 6-12 dm. high, tufted, erect, simple, 

 smooth; sheaths shorter than the internodes, smooth or rough; 

 ligule 2-4 mm. long; blades 7-20 cm. long, 2-6 mm. wide, flat, 

 scabrous; panicle 7-18 cm. long, its branches spreading or ascending 

 in flower, erect in fruit, the lower 25-60 mm. long; spikelets in dense 

 capitate clusters, 3-5-flowered; empty glumes 1-3-nerved, the first 

 shorter than the second; flowering glumes 4-6 mm. long, rough, 

 pointed or short awned, ciliate on the keel. 



Occasional in yards about Los Angeles. 



32. CYNOSURUS L. 



Annual or perennial tufted grasses with flat leaves 

 and dense spike-like inflorescence. Spikelets consisting 

 of narrow empty glumes with a continuous rachilla, the 

 terminal spikelets of 2-4 broader glumes with articulate 

 rachilla, and subtending perfect flowers. The 2 outer 

 glumes broad, 1-3-nerved, pointed or short awned; 

 upper glumes narrower, usually empty. Glumes of the 

 sterile spikelets pectinate, spreading, linear-subulate; 



