GRAMINE.E. (grass FAMILY.) 673 



75. ELYMUS, L. Lyme-Grass. Wild Rve. (PI. 11.) 



Sjjikelets 2 - 4 at each joint of the rhachis of a termiual spike, all fertile 

 and alike, sessile, each 1 - 7-flo\vered. Glumes conspicuous, nearly side by 

 side in front of the spikelets, 2 for each spikelet, formins; an involucre to the 

 cluster. Flower coriaceous ; the glume rounded on the back, acute or awned 

 at the apex. Grain adherent to the involving glume (wlieuce the name, an 

 ancient one for some grain, from iXvaj, to roil up). 



* Glumes and Jiowers firm or rigid, all or only the latter awned ; spikelets 1-5 

 flowered; slender perennials, with rather harsh and broad fiat leaves. 



■t- Spike large and stout. 



1. E. Virginicus, L. (PI. ll, fig. 1-3.) Culm stout, 2-3° high ; spike 

 rigidli/ upright, dense (2 -3' long, 6" thick), the short peduncle usual/ 1/ included 

 in the sheath; spikelets 2-3 together, 2-3-flowered, smooth, rather short- 

 awned, about the length of the thickened strongly-nerved and bristle-pointed 

 lanceolate glumes. — River-banks ; common. Aug. 



2. E. Canadensis, L. Spike soon nodding (5-9' long), on an exserted 

 peduncle ; spikelets mostly in pairs, of 3 - 5 long-awned rough or rough-hairy 

 flowers; the awl-shaped glumes tipped with shorter awns. — Var. GLAtciF6Lius, 

 Gray, is pale or glaucous throughout, the flowers with more spreading awns 

 {IV long). — Var. ixtekmedius, Vasey, has the awns scarcely longer than the 

 glumes. — River-banks ; common. 



-I- -1- Spike and culm more slender 



3. E. StriatUS, Willd. ^love ov \e&B pubescent ; spike dense and thickish 

 (2-4' long), upright or slightly nodding; spikelets mostly in pairs, 1 -2- (or 

 rarely 3-) flowered, minutely bristly-hairy; glumes awl-shaped, bristle-awned, 

 1 -3-uerved, about thrice the length of the fiowers, whicli are only 3" long ex- 

 clusive of the capillary awn (1' long). — Var. vill6sl's, Gray, has very hairy 

 flowers and glumes, and villous sheaths. — Rocky woods and banks. July, 

 Aug. 



4. E. Sibiricus, L., var. AmericanuS. Glabrous; spike icand-like 

 (2-6' long, 2-3" thick), often somewhat nodding; spikelets in pairs, 3 -6- 

 flowered ; glumes linear-lanceolate, 3-.5-nerved, acuminate and smooth or often 

 scabrous on the nerves, short-awned, shorter than the fiowers, which bear an 

 erect awn of once or twice their length. — Marquette, Mich. {Porter), N. Minn., 

 and westward. 



* * Glumes and palet awnless and soft in texture ; reed-like perennials. 



5. E. mollis, Trin. Culm (3° high) velvety at top; spike thick, erect 

 ,8' long) ; spikelets 2 or 3 at each joint, 5-8-flowered : the lanceolate pointed 

 5-7-nerved glumes (1' long) and the pointed flowers soft-villous ; rhachis of 

 the spikelets separating into joints. — Shore of the Great Lakes, Maine, and 

 northward. (Near E. arenarius.) 



* * * Emptg glumes very narrow, and all veri/ long-awned ; spike disarticu- 

 lating at maturitij. 



6. E. Sitanion, Schultes. Low (|-2° high), stout ; spike 1 -4' long, the 

 peduncle slightly exserted ; the spreading scabrous awns 2-3' long. — Central 

 Minn, to Kan., and westward. 



