150 GEAMINEAE 



interioi- deserts and valleys; not found at high altitudes. Throughout the 

 U. S. and Mexico. 



Eefs. — DlsTiciiLls SPIC.^TA Greene, Bull. tal. Acail. 2: 41.5. 1887; Davy iu Jepsou, Fl. W. 

 Mid. Cal. 63. 1901; Abrams, Fl. Los Ang. 47. 1904. Uniola siHcata L. Sp. PI. 71. 1753. 

 Distichlis maritima Eaf. Jour, de Phys. 89: 104. 1819; Thurb. in Wats. Bot. Cal. 2: 306. 1880. 

 Var. stru-ta Tluirb. in Wats. Bot. Cal. 2: 306. 1880. rniola strida Torr. .\nn. Lye. N. Y. 1: 

 155. 1824. 



55. BRIZA L. 



Spikelets several-Howered, compressed, rounded-ovate or triangular, in pani- 

 cles. Glumes membranaceous, with broad scarious margins, strongly concave, 

 rounded on the back and more or less veutricose. Lemnuxs similar, 3 to many- 

 nerved, nearly horizontal to the axis. Annuals or perennials, the California 

 species with open panicles of handsome spikelets. — Species 12, in the temperate 

 regions of Europe, North Africa, Mexico and South America, and certain spe- 

 cies introduced into the U. S. (An ancient Greek name for a kind of grain, 

 probably rye.) 



Plants perennial 1. B. media. 



Plants annual. 



Panicle drooping; spikelets 5 lines broad 2. B. ma.rima. 



Panicle erect ; spikelets not over 2 lines broad 3. B. minor. 



1. B. media L. Perennial ; culms erect, 1 to 2 feet high, erect or decumbent 

 at base; panicle erect, pyramidal, many-flowered, the branches capillary, 

 stiffly ascending or spreading; spikelets nodding, 3 lines long, heart-shaped, or 

 triangular-ovate. 



Sparingly introduced from Europe. Bennett Valley, Helhr 56-19. 



Eefs.— BWZA MEDLi L. Sp. PI. 70. 1753; Thurb. in Wats. Bot. Cal. 2; 316. 1880; Davy in 

 Jepson, Fl. W. Mid. Cal. 64. 1901. 



2. B. maxima L. Annual; culms erect or decumbent at base, 1 to 2 feet 

 high; panicle drooping, few-tlowered; spikelets ovate, large, i/2 inch long or 

 more, 5 lines broad, the pedicels slender, drooping ; glumes and lemmas usually 

 purple- or brown-margined. 



A native of Europe, sparingly escaped from gardens where it is cultivated for 

 ornament. Big Sur, Davy 7459. 



Eefs.— Briza maxima L. Sp. PI. 70. 1753; Davy in Jepsou, Fl. W. Mid. Cal. 64. 1901. 



3. B. minor L. Annual ; culms erect, 4 to 15 inches high ; jjanicle erect, 

 pyramidal, niany-tlowered. the main branches stiffly ascending, the capillary 

 branchlets spreading; spikelets triangular-ovate, li/o lines long. 



Natui'alized from Europe, rather common from central California to British 

 Columbia. 



Eefs.— Briza mixor L. Sp. PI. 70. 1753; Davy in Jepsod, Fl. W. Mid. Cal. 64. 1901. 



56. DACTYLIS L. 



Spikelets 3 to 5-tlowered, nearly sessile in dense fascicles, borne in panicles. 

 Glumes unequal, keeled, acute, the first 1-nerved, the second 3-nerved. Lemmas 

 5-nerved, awn-pointed, compressed-keeled, the keels conspicuously ciliate- 

 fringed. A perennial bunch-grass, with flat blades, and paniculate glomerules, 

 the few branches expanded in flower. — Species 1, north temperate regions of 

 the Old World. (Greek daktulos. a finger.) 



1. D. glomerata L. Orchard Grass. Culms ei-ect, 2 to 4 f eet high : blades 

 broadly linear; panicle 3 to 6 inches long, the few stiff branches naked below, 

 contracted after flowering; spikelets crowded in dense 1-sided clusters at the 

 ends of the branches. 



