GRAMINE^. (grass FAMILY.) 603 



§ 1. MrHLENBERGiA proper. — Spikelets commonly much croivded, in lateral 

 and terminal panicles, short-stalked: cidms branching, from hard scaly 

 rootstocks : leaves Jlat. 



* Flowering glume awnless. 



1. M. Mexicana, Trin. Pauides obloug, dense; glumes unequal, 

 lanceolate, ending in slender hispid awn-like points, the upper one as lung as 

 the awnless floret. ( Agrostis lateriflora, Michx.) — Damp soil. North Carolina, 

 and northward. June -July. — Culms ascending, much branched. 



2. M. glomerata, Trin. Culms erect, simple or branched, 2° high; 

 panicle longpeduucled, oblong-linear, interruptedly spicate, 2' -3' long, the 

 dense oblong clusters sessile and appressed ; glumes nearly equal, awn-pointed, 

 twice as long as the floret. — Statesville, North Carolina {Hyams). 



3. M. SObolifera, Trin. Culms branching, 1°- 2° high; leaves broadly 

 linear, 3' -5' long; panicle simple, almost filiform, 2' -3' long, the distant 

 branches simple, erect ; spikelets minute ; glumes nearly equal, awnless, rather 

 shorter than the floret. — Rocky woods in the upper districts. Sept. 



* * Flowering glume awned. 



4. M. sylvatica, T. & Gr. Culms diffuse, branched (2=-3° high); 

 panicles contracted : floret as long as the nearly equal short-awned glumes, its 

 awn 2-3 times as long. — North Carolina and Tennessee, in rocky woods. 

 Sept. 



5. M. Willdenovii, Trin. Culms sparingly branched, erect; leaves 

 broadly linear ; panicles linear ; spikelets scattered; floret twice as long as 

 the nearly equal short-pointed glumes, its awn 3-4 times as long as the spike- 

 let. — Dry rocky soil in the upper districts. July- August. — Culms 3° high. 



6. M. diffusa, Schreb. Culms decumbent, diffusely branched ; panicles 

 long and slender ; glumes very small, the upper one truncated ; awn of the 

 floret twice as long as the spikelet. — Shaded waste places, common. August - 

 Sept. — Culms 1°- 2° long. 



§ 2. Trichochloa. — Panicle terminal, diffuse, long-peduncled : spikelets on 

 long hair-like stalks : culms tall and simple. 



7. M. capillaris, Kuuth. Leaves rigid, elongated, convolute-filiform ; 

 panicle erect, the long and purple glossy branches and spikelets drooping; 

 glumes nearly equal, half as long as the floret, the lower one awned ; flower- 

 ing glume 3-awned, with the middle awn many times longer than the spikelet. 

 — Varies with both glumes long-awned. (M. filipes, Curtis.) — Sandy soil 

 along the coast, and sparingly in the interior. August -Sept. — Culms 2°- 

 4^ high. 



8. M. trichopodes, Chapm. Culms and leaves filiform, elongated ; 

 panicle erect, oblong; .spikelets linear, on s])reading stalks; floret twice as 

 long as the nearly equal awnless glumes, ribbed ; its glume tipjied with a 

 short awn, and with the two lateral nerves slightly percurrent, hairy at the 

 base. — Low pine barrens in the lower districts. Sept. 21 — Culms 2^-3° 

 high. Panicle rarely purplish. Leaves flat. 



9. M. Reverchoni, V. & S. ? Glabrous; culms tufted, simple (2^ high) ; 

 leaves chiefly radical, short, flat, narrow-linear ; panicle long-peduncled, sim- 



