686 



MONOECIA TRIANDRIA 



Walt. p. 233: Pursh, I. p. 60. Nutt. 2. p. 210. 



'^ Z. Palustris, Sp. pi. 4. p. 395. 

 Z. Clavulosa, Mich. 1. p. 75. 



iJoo^perennial. Stem 6-12 feet high, terete, glabrous, polished, encfr- 

 cled at the joints whh a silken pubescence. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 

 slightly channelled, finely serrulate, glabrous on both surfaces of a light 

 green colour, 2-4 feet long, one to one and a half inches wide, closely 

 sheathln^ at base, the sheaths shorter than the internode*. Flowers m a 

 laree terminal panicle, the branches verticiUate, the lower expanding, bear- 

 ing sterile florets, the upper somewhat erect, the florets all fertile, on short 

 incrassated pedicels; of the sterile floret glume 2-valved, valves equal, ab- 

 ate along the back and margins; nectary 2 very small lanceolate raem- 

 branes at the base of the filaments; filaments 6, short; anthers oblong; the 

 sterile flower pendulous caducous. Of the fertile floret glume 2-valyed,- 

 valves unequal, the exterior linear-lanceolate, tapering tp a bristle nearly ^ 

 inches long, cillate; the interior smaller, very acute; nectary as m the sterue 

 floret: germ short, oval. Shjlcs 2, short. Seed oblong. 



Thisr^rass crows in great abundance near the mouths of our fresh water 

 rivers. *It constitutes a considerable portion of the fresh water naarshes, 

 preferring those situations where the soil is overflowed one or two leet oeep 

 it high water. Its leaves are succulent and eaten with avidity by stock 

 all descriptions. In Savannah, under the name of wild oats, it is used almost 

 exclusively during the summer season as g^^een fodder for thwr ^ows^_^an^ 

 horses. 



tried; perhaps the experiments have been made on leaves ^"^ P'^"^ J^^" 

 sufficiently mature. The seed are more saccharine than those of any otn 

 of the gramines which I have ever tasted, but they are also the most caao- 



cons- 



>iv- 



Flowers October and November. 



2. MiLiACEA. Mich. 



Z. panicula effusa^ 

 pyramidala; glumis 



bievi-aiistatis; floribus 

 masciilis et foemineis 

 mixlis; stylo J; seraine 



ovato, laevi 



? 



foliis 



pe 



renhantibus glances 



centibus. 



Panicle expanding, 

 pyramidal; glumes witii 

 • florets ste- 



short awns; 

 rile and fertile 



minded; style 



5 



inter- 

 seed 



ovate, smooth; leaves 

 perennial, glaucescent. 



Mich. 1. p. 74. Sp. pi. 4. p. 394. Pursh, 1. p. 60. Nutt. *• P 

 Z. Falustris, Walt. p. 233. 



. 210 



1 



Z. Aquatica, Sp. pi. 4. p. 394? 



Stem erect, 6—10 feet high, terete, glabrous, even at the joints 

 6 feet long, one to one and a half inches wide, flat, striate, 



Leaner 

 serruIatCf 



