QRAinNEiE. (grass FAMILY.) 565 



Spikelets in close clusters at the end of the short branches, 2-4-flowered. 

 Glames and flowers lauceolato. 



34. FESTUCA, L. FESCUE-GRAsg. 



Grasses with flat or setaceous leaves, and paniclcd 3 -many-flowered mostly 

 awned spikelets. Kachis jointed as in Glyceria. Glumes unequal, mostly keeled. 

 Palea; nearly coriaceous ; the lower one naked, rounded on the hack, 3-5-nervcd, 

 acute or bristle-awncd ; the upper commonly adhering at maturity to the enclosed 

 grain. Stamens 1-3. 



* Flowers awned: panicle contracted: annuals. 



1. P. Myurus, L. Culms erect, very slender, concealed in the sheaths of 

 ttie bristle-like leaves; panicle elongated, linear, 1-sided, partly included in the 

 sheath of the uppermost leaf, the scattered branches appressed ; spikelets com- 

 pressed, 6-flowcred ; awn 3-4 times the length of the subulate sparsely hairy 

 palea. Stamen 1. — Dry sandy soil, Florida to North Carolina. March and 

 April. — Culms 6'- 12' high, :^anicle pale, 4' -6' long. 



2. P. tenella, Willd. Culms (2'- 12' high) erect or ascending; leaves 

 narrowly linear or filiform ; panicle long-peduneled, simple, spiked, or the 

 branches slightly spreading, mostly purple ; spikelets crowded, compressed, 

 oblong, 8- 12-flowered ; awn not longer than the subulate hispid palea. — Dry 

 sandy soil, Florida, and northward. Feb. -April. 



3. P. duriuscula, L. Culms erect, 1°- 1|^° high ; leaves filiform ; panicle 

 simple, 1-sided, mostly bending, spreading ; spikelets oblong, about 6 -flowered ; 

 awn shorter than the smooth lanceolate palea. — Around dwellings, Florida, and 

 northward. Introduced. April -May. 



4. P. parviflora, Ell. " Panicle equal, slender, appressed ; spikelets 

 terete, subulate, 5-flowered, awned; calyx (glumes) unawncd." E/t. — Near 

 Orangeburg, South Carolina. April. 1|. ? — Culms 12'- 18' high. Awn as 

 long as the palea. ( ♦ ) 



* * Flowers aitmless: panicle spreading: perennials. 



5. P. elatior, L. Culms 1°- 2° high; leaves linear, smooth; panicle long, 

 narrow, erect, the erect branches bearing the loosely 5 - 10-flowcred spikelets 

 throughout ; palea oblong-laneeolate, barely pointed. — North Carolina, and 

 northward. Introduced. 



6. P. nutans, Willd. Culms 2° -4° high, and, like the broadly linear 

 leaves, rough, or the latter hairy; panicle 1-sided, simple, erect or bending, the 

 branches mostly by pairs, remote, bearing few ovate 5 - 6-flowered spikelets near 

 their summits, at length reflexed ; glumes rough on the back, acute ; lower palea 

 ovate, barely pointed. — Rich woods and banks, Florida, and northward. Aug. 



7. P. grandijlora, Lam. " Panicle simple, erect ; spikelets very few, 

 generally T-llowercd ; flowers acute, distant." — Carolina, Frazer. («) 



8. P. unioloides, Willd. Panicle contracted ; spikelets compressed, 8-flow- 

 ered, awnlcss ; sheatiis of the leaves bearded at the summit. — Carolina, Willd. 

 — Panicle nodding, expanding. Spikes oblong-lanceolate. Eoot fibrous. ( • ) 



48 



