558 GRAMINE^. (grass FAMILY.) 



less. Glumes 2, momhranapeous, very iinoqiial ; tlie larger upper one with a 

 spreading -awn or tubercle on the back. Paleaj of the perfect (lower incinbraua- 

 ceous; the lower one awned below the apex, and densely ciliate on the margins. 

 Stamens 3. Ovary smooth. Styles terminal : stigmas elongated, plumose, with 

 simple hairs. Grain free. 



1. C. Americanum, Spreng. Root pungent; culm (2° -3° high) rough, 

 like the narrow leaves; spike at length recurved or coiled (3' -4' long) ; upper 

 glume granular on the back ; the stout awn spreading horizontally. (Monoeeni 

 uromatica, Ell) — Low pine barrens, Florida to Nortli Carolina. July ami 

 Aug. U- 



21. DACTYLOCTENIUM, Willd. CROWFOOT-Gn.vss. 



Annual creeping or spreading branching grasses, with flat leaves and digitate 

 rarely single spikes. Spikelets 2 - several-flowered, crowded on one side of the 

 flattened rachis; the uppermost flower imperfect. Glumes 2, compressed-keeled,- 

 membranaceous ; the upper (exterior) awn-pointcd. I'nlfiB 2, boat-shaped, 

 pointed. Stamens 3. Stigmas plumose, with branching hairs. Grain round- 

 ish, rugose, free. 



1. D. .3Sgyptiacum, "Willd. Culms ascending from a creeping base; 

 leaves fringed ; spikes commonly 4, awn-jjointcd ; s])ikelcts 3-flowere(l. (Eliu- 

 sine? cruciata. Ell.) — Cultivated ground, common. Inirodueed. — Culms nu- 

 merous, 1° high. Spikes l'-2' long. 



22. ELEUSINE, Gxn. 



Characters chiefly of Dactyloctenium, but the narrower glumes and palese 

 obtuse and awnlcss. Stigmas plumose, with simjjle hairs. Spikelets closely 

 imbricated. — Low annuals. 



1. E. Indiea, Ga^rt. — Cultivated ground, very common. Introduced. 

 Culms (C- 18' high) flattened; leaves flat; s])ikes 2-scveral, the lower ones 

 sometimes scattered (2' -4' long) ; spikelets 6-flowered. 



23. LEPTOCHLOA, Beauv. 



Flat-leaved grasses, with the nutnerous spikes dis]>osed in a terminal raceme. 

 Spikelets sessile, loose on one side of the elongated filiform rachis, 3 -many- 

 flowered. Glumes 2, membranaceous, unequal, keeled. Palea; 2, membrana- 

 ceous ; the lower one longer than the upper, 3-nerved, awued or unawncd. 

 Stamens 3. Grain oblong, free. 



^ 1. LEPTOCHLOA Trover. — Loicer palra utwu-ncd. 

 1. L. raucronata, Kunth. Culms 2°-30 high; sheaths of the broad (4"- 

 6" wide) rough leaves hairy; spikes numerous, in an elongated niceme, 2' - 4' 

 long, spreading ; spikelets minute, 3 -4-flowered ; glumes mueronate, longer or 

 shorter than the flowers: lower palea smooth, emnriiinMle. (Eleusine mncro- 

 nafa Michr.) — Cn'fivafed (i'd, F'ovida, and northward. Aug.- Sept. ^ 



