24 POACEAE. 



and digitate, 1-5 cm. long: spikelets 3-5-flowered. — Pinelands, cultivated and 

 waste grounds. Nat. from the Old World. — F. K. {Bah., Cuba, Ant.) — 

 Egyptian-grass. 



34. PHRAGMITES Triu. Tall erect plants with flat usually broad leaf- 

 blades and ample terminal panicles. Spikelets 2-several-flowered, the lower 

 flower staminate, the remainder perfect. Scales 4-several, the first much shorter 

 than the second, the remaining scales long-acuminate. 



1. P. Phragmites (L.) Karst. Stems 1-5 m. tall, from long rootstoeks: leaf- 

 blades 1.5-3 dm. long or more, 1-5 cm. wide, flat : panicle ample, 1.5-3 dm. 

 long or more: spikelets crowded, the flowering scales 10-12 mm. long. — Shore 

 hammocks. — F. K. {Bah.) — Common-reed. 



35. ERAGROSTIS Beauv. Erect or diffuse plants, the stems sometimes 

 prostrate or creeping, with open or contracted panicles. Spikelets numerous, 

 arranged singly or in fascicles, 2-many-flowered, the flowers perfect or uni- 

 sexual. Scales 4-many, membranous, compressed, keeled, the flowering scales 

 3-nerved, obtuse or acute at the apex: palet often incurved and persistent on 

 the rachilla after the fall of the scale. 



Palet of the spikelets glabrous on the keels or merely hispidulous : plants perennial. 



1. E.ElliotHi. 

 Palet of the spikelets conspicuously and beautifully ciliate : plants 

 annual. 

 Panicle contracted, spike-like, the branches short and appressed. 2. E. ciliaris. 

 Panicle open, its branches spreading. 3. E. plumosa. 



1. E. EUiottii S. Wats. Stems firm, 4-10 dm. tall: leaf-blades 4 dm. long or 

 less, 3-5 mm. wide: panicle diffuse, 2-5 dm. long, its long slender branches 

 finally widely spreading or ascending; spikelets 6-13-flowered, 5-10 mm. long, 

 the flowering scales 1.75-2 mm. long. — Everglades. — F. K. {Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



2. E. ciliaris (L.) Link. Stems 1..5-4 dm. tall: leaf -sheaths usually ciliate on 

 the margin and with a tuft of long hairs at the apex; blades 2-8 cm. long: panicle 

 often interrupted below, 3-10 cm. long: spikelets 6-16-flowered, the hairs of 

 the palet exceeding 0.5 mm. long. — Hammocks and cultivated grounds. — F. 

 K. {Ber., Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



3. E. plumosa Link. Stems 1^ dm. tall: leaf -sheaths usually ciliate on the 

 margin and with a tuft of hairs at the apex; blades 2-10 cm. long: panicle 

 olilong, 4-16 cm. long: spikelets 4-8-flowered, the nerves of the palet ciliate 

 with hairs about 0.2 mm. long. — Hammocks and cultivated grounds. — F. K. 

 {Bah., Cuba.) 



36. UNIOLA L. Erect or reclining plants with contracted or open 

 panicles. Spikelets laterally compressed, 2-edged, 3-many-flowered. Scales 

 6-many, compressed-keeled, sometimes winged, the flowering scales many- 

 nerved. 



1. U. paniculata L. Stems 1-2.5 m. tall: leaf -blades 3 dm. long or more: 

 panicle 2-3 dm. long or more: spikelets many-flowered, ovate to oval, 12-25 

 mm. long, the flowering scales 8-10 mm. long. — Coastal sand-dunes. — F. K. 

 {Bah., Cuba.) — Sea-oats. 



37. DISTICHLIS Raf. Tufted, dioecious plants with rigid creeping or 

 decumbent stems concealed by the overlapping sheaths, and contracted panicles. 

 Spikelets many-flowered, unisexual, more numerous in the staminate than in the 

 pistillate panicles, the rachilla articulate in the pistillate spikelets. Scales 

 many, acute, the flowering scales long and broad, firm, membranous, or nearly 

 coriaceous. 



