GRASS FAMILY 83 



Plant stout ; branches of tho inflorescence spreading or reflexed, not nodding. 



2. P. elala. 

 Leaf-blades conduplicate, stiff, ascending; lemma distinctly scarioiis-mar- 

 gined; branches of the inflorescence short, strongly ascending, not droop- 

 ing. 3. P rigida. 

 Spikelets 4-6 mm. long; lemma narrowly oval, 2-3 mm. long; inflorescence ample; 

 branches finally spreading. 

 Lemma barely scarious-margined ; empty glumes acute, lanceolate. 



4. P. grandis. 

 Lemma with broad scarious margins; empty glumes obtuse. 



5. P. pulchella. 

 Lemma 5-nerved, distinctly dentate at the ape.x, broadly scarious-margined. 



Spikelets 4-r)-flowered. 6. P. pauciflora. 



Spikelets 2-flowored. 7. P. Ilolmii. 



Spikelets Unear, 10 mm. long or more; lemma 7-nerved, erose. 



Spikelets 10-17 mm. long, on pedicels at least one-third their length. 



8. P. bnrealis. 

 Spikelets 15-20 mm. long, subsessile or nearly so. 9. P. septentrionalix. 



1. P. nervata (Willd.) Kuntze. Stem slender, 3-10 dm. high; leaf-blades 

 1.5-3 tlm. long, -i-lO mm. wide, smooth beneath, scabrous above; panicle 7-20 

 cm. long, open; spikelets 3-7-flo\vered, 2-3 mm. long; lemma 1.5 mm. long, obtuse 

 or rounded at the apex, striate. Wet meadows and swamps: Lab. — ^Fla. — ■ 

 Calif. — Alaska; Mex. Submont.—Mont. Je-Au. 



2. P. elata Nash. Stem 5-15 dm. high, smooth; leaf-blades flat, scabrous 

 on both sides, 2-4 dm. long, 6-10 mm. wide; panicle ample, 2-3 dm. long; spike- 

 lets 3-4 mm. long, ovate, 4-7-fiowered ; empty glumes hyaline, 1-1.5 mm. long; 

 lemma 2 mm. long, its nerves vanishing near the apex. Shaded bogs: Mont. — • 

 Wyo.— Calif.— B.C. Suhmont.—Mont. Jl-S. 



3. P. rigida (Nash.) Rydb. Stem 3-4 dm. high; leaf-blades 5-15 cm. long, 

 3-4 mm. wide; inflorescence small, about 1 dm. long; spikelets about 3 mm. long, 

 5-6-flowered; emjity glumes about 1 mm. long, purplish; lemma rounded-oval, 

 usually purplish, about 1.5 mm. long. Bogs and springs: Mont. — -Ida. — ^Wyo. 

 My Jl. 



4. P. grandis (S. Wats.) Nash. Stem stout, 1-2 m. high, smooth; leaf- 

 blades 1.5-4 dm. long, 6-15 mm. wide, smooth beneath, scabrous above; panicle 

 2-4 dm. long, open; spikelets 4-7-flowered; lemma 2-2.5 mm. long. P. americana 

 (Torr.) McMill. In water and wet places: N.B.— N.Y.—N.M.— Calif.— 

 Ala.ska. Plain — Submonl. Je-Au. 



5. P. pulchella Nash. Stem 4-6 dm. high, stout, smooth; leaf-blades 1.5-3 

 dm. long, 2.5-6 mm. wide, flat; panicle open, 1.5-3 dm. long; spikelets 4-6- 

 flowered; emptj' glimies brownish or piu-plish, scarious-margined, obtuse; lemma 

 usually purple, scabrous, about 3 mm. long. Swamps: Yukon — ^^Nlack. — N.M. 

 Submont. — Subnip. Jl-S. 



6. P. pauciflora (Presl.) Kuntze. Stem 3-10 dm. high; leaf-blades 1-3 dm. 

 long, 6-10 mm. wide, scabrous on both sides; panicle 1.5-2 dm. long, loose; 

 branches ascending or spreading; spikelets 4-5 mm. long; empty glumes 1 mm. 

 long, rounded at the apex; lemma about 3 mm. long, scabrous. Wet meadows 

 and in water: Mont. — -Colo. — Calif. — -B.C. Submont. — Subalp. Jl-Au. 



7. P. Holmii Beal. Stem 2.5-5 dm. high, pale; leaf-blades flat, 4-12 cm. 

 long, 4-7 mm. wide, scabrous; panicle open, lax, 5-8 cm. long; empty glumes 

 hyaline, 1-1.3 mm. long; lemma scabrous, 2-2.2 mm. long. Sliaded streams: 

 Colo. Mont. Jl. 



8. P. borealis Nash. Stem glabrous, 6-15 dm. high; leaf-blades 1-2 dm, 

 long, 2-10 mm. wide, erect, scabrous on both sides; panicle narrow, 2-5 dm. long; 

 branches erect, smooth; spikelets 7-13-flowered; empty ghmies scarious-mar- 

 gined, 1-nerved, the first acute, the second obtuse, erose; lemma 3.5-4 mm. 

 long. Water and wet places: Me. — N.Y.—N.M. — Calif. — Alaska. Submont. — 

 Mont. Jl-Au. 



9. P. septentrionalis Ilitchc. Stem 1-1.5 m. high; blades 1-2.5 dm. long, 

 6-8 mm. wide; panicle 2-2.5 dm. long, subflexuose; spikelets 8-12-flowered; 

 empty glumes obtuse; lemma 4-4.5 mm. long, hispidulous. Gb/rcria (luilans 

 Am. auth., not R. Br. Shallow water: Newf.—Va.— Calif.— B.C. ' Plain- 

 Submont. 



