

\ 



TUIAXDRIA DIGYNIA. 133 



l^fd perennial ? Stem 1 — 2 feet lilglu \vith tlie leaves and spikes 

 erectj columnar, glabrous. Leaves narrowy lanceolate, serrulate, gla- 

 brous on the under surface, a little scabrous and hairy on the upper i 

 sheaths hairy. Spikes alternate, 2 — 8 inches long, filiform, spikelets 

 sometimes 2 flowered, pedicels unequal. Uachis a little flexuous*, 

 Cahjx pubescent Anthers purple. Stigmas bright purple. 



These two last species have been confused in a manner I cannot ex- 

 plain j I have therefore described tliem from my own observations, and 

 retained the name which appeared most appropriate. I shall only remark 

 that they diflfer much in habit; the D. fillformis is erect even when 

 detaclied from other plants, D.villosa creeping and decumbent ; the 

 tnct species lias the leaves nearly glabrous, and tlie valves of the 

 calyx nearly equal; the decumbent is distinguished by its villous 

 sheath and unequal calyx. 



Grows very common near the ocean, in poor sandy land, \vhethejr 

 aoist or dry. 



Flowers September — October, Erect JJigitaria. 



4. Dactyloi^. 



D ? ciilmo repente ; [ Stem creeping ; sp] 



spiels dlgitatis,patcntil jus; | digitate, expanding, flow 



floribus solitariis, calycis I ers solitary ; valves of 



Pan 



subteqiialibus. E. j tlic calyx nearly cqu 



Sp. pT. 1. p. 342. 



Cjiiodon dactjion, Pers. 1. p. 85. 



fioof perennial, ^fem prostrate, creeping, perennial, terete, gla** 

 brous, ^ Leaves 2 — 4 inches long, 2 — S lines v ide, expanding*, some- 

 ^'hat distichous, finely serrulate, slightly hairy, and scabrous; sheaths 

 longer than the join tSy hairy ; stipules bearded. -S^^i^ps generally 4, 

 ^Jnetimes 3, terminal, expanding from a common centre, 2 inches 

 ThP* ^^^y^9 valves lanceolate, somewhat carlnate, the exterior a 

 *™e shorter than the interior. Jnthers light ; Sti^unis dark purple. 

 Sectaries 2, obovate, white, half *lie length of tlic germ. 



*Vehaye two varieties of this plant, one coarser (perhaps a species) 

 powing in damp soils, native ; the other described above, said to be 



ported, a tender delicate grass, growing over and binding the most 



St v^ * 1^9s^ lands in our country, and apparently preferred by 



sj^OGk of all descriptions to every other grass. The cultivation of this 



S»ass on the poor and extensive sand hills of our middle countrr 



^^oulu probably convert ihom into sheep walks of great value ; but it 



5 ?P^^ ^"^'cry soil, and no grass in close rich land is more formi- 



*^e to the cultivator ; it must therefore be introduced with caution, 



rows common in the low country, particularly in loose soils. 



lowers through the summer. Bermuda grass. 



the P ^'^'^*^ comprised in this genus have usually been referred to 

 Hi^ .^^^^""^? but the structure of their flowers is exactly similar to? 

 ''^ ^'^gi-ostis, while their habit is distinct from citlion 



