GRAMINE^. (grass FAMILY.) 627 



75. Elytnus. Spikelets 1 - several-flowered, all perfect and similar. 



76. Asprella. Spikelets fevv-flowered, somewhat pedicelled, 1-3 at each joint. Glumes 



none or small and deciduous. 



Tribe XI. BAMBUSE.aE. Tall woody reeds, the flat leaves with a short petiole jointed 

 upon the sheath. Spikelets few- many-flowered, flattened, in panicles or racemes. 



77. Aruntlinaria. Flowering glumes rounded on the back, many-nerved, acuminate or 



bristle-pointed ; empty glumes very small. 



1. SPARTINA, Schreber. Cord or Marsh Grass. (PI. 9.) 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, very much flattened laterally, jointed and sessile in 2 

 ranks on the outer side of a triangular rhachis. Glumes 3, unequal, lanceo- 

 late, strongly compressed-keeled, acute or bristle-pointed, mostly rough-bristly 

 on the keel ; palet thin, equalling or longer than the flowering glume. Stamens 

 3. Styles long, more or less united. — Perennials, with simple and rigid often 

 reed-like culms, from extensively creeping scaly rootstocks, racemed spikes, 

 very smooth sheaths, and long tough leaves (whence the name, from (nrapriv-q, 

 a cord, such as was made from the bark of the Spartium or Broom). 

 * Spikelets compactly imbricated very rough-hispid on the keels; spikes (2-4' 

 long) more or less peduncled ; culm and elongated leaves rigid. 



1. S. cynosuroldes, Willd. (Fresh-water Cord-Grass.) Culm rather 

 slender (2-6^ high) • leaves narrow (2-4° long, Y wide below or less), taper- 

 ing to a very slender point, keeled, flat, but quickly involute in drying, smooth 

 except the margins ; spikes 5 - 20, scattered, spreading ; rhachis rough on the 

 margins ; glumes aivn-poijited, especially the middle one (its awn about ^' long), 

 strongly serrulate-hispid on the keel, the lower equalling the upper, whose strong 

 midrib abruptly terminates below the membranous apex. — Banks of rivers 

 and lakes, or in rich soil, especially northward. Aug. 



'2. S. polystachya, Willd. (Salt Reed-Grass.) Culm tall and stout 

 (4 "9° high, often P in diameter near the base) ; leaves broad (|-P), roughish 

 underneath, as well as the margins; spikes 20-50, forming a dense oblong ra- 

 ceme (purplish); glumes barely mucronate,the lower half the length of the flower- 

 ing one, of which the rough-liispid midrib reaches to the apex. — Salt or 

 brackish marshes, within tide-water, especially southward. 



3. S. juncea, Willd. (Rush Salt-Grass.) Culms low {\ - 2° high) ayid 

 slender ; leaves narrow and rush-like, strongly involute, very smooth ; spikes 1 - 5, 

 on very short peduncles, the rhachis smooth ; glumes acute, the lower scarcely 

 half the length of the middle one, not half the length of the upper. — Salt 

 marshes and sea-beaches. Aug. (Eu.) 



* * Spikelets loosely imbricated, or somewhat remote and alternate, the keels onlij 

 slightly hairy or roughish under a lens ; spikes sessile and erect, soft ; leaves, 

 rhachis, etc., very smooth ; culm rather succulent. 



4. S. Stricta, Roth. (Salt Marsh-Grass.) (PI. 9, fig. 1-3.) Culm 

 1-4° high, leafy to the top ; leaves soon convolute, narrow ; spikes few (2 - 4), 

 the rhachis slightly projecting beyond the crowded or imbricated spikelets; 

 glumes acute, very unequal, the larger 1 -nerved, a little longer than the 

 flower. — Salt marshes, Penn., etc. — Odor strong and rancid. (Eu.) 



Var. glabra, Gray. Culm and leaves longer ; spikes 5-12 (2 -3' long); 

 spikelets imbricate-crowded. — Common on the coast. 



