GRAMINACE^. ' 433 



twice the length of the lower ; paleae nearly equal, pointless, a little shorter 

 than the upper glume. ( Torr. N. Y. Fl\) 



On rocks. Watertown, JefTerson County, N. Y. W. to Ohio. %.—Culm 

 1 — 2 feet high, smooth. Leaves convolute-setaceous, the lower ones equalling 

 the culm, the upper shorter. Panicle spreading or somewhat contracted, pur- 

 plish. It is said to emit a strong odor, resembling that of Poa Eragrostis. 



J Strong-scented Vilfa. 



5. V. cryptandra Torr. . panicle pyramidal, the base usually enclosed in 

 the upper sheath, with spreading mostly alternate branches, which are hairy 

 on the axils ; spikelets racemose ; flowers awnless ; lower glume very short ; 

 the upper one as long as the nearly equal lanceolate acute paleae. ( Torr. 

 N. Y. FL) 



Sandy soils. N. Y. and Mass. W. to the Rocky Mountains. Aug. %. — 

 Culm \\ — 3 feet high, leafy, smooth. Leaves- short, smooth ; the sheaths densely 

 bearded at the throat. Panicle large, bluish. 



Large-panicled Vilfa. 



22. POLYPOGON. Z?es/.— Beard Grass. 



(From the Greek ttoXvs, many, and Trcdyur, a heard ; in reference to the unusual 

 number of awns.) 



Glumes 2-valved, 1 -flowered; valves membranaceous, aw ned. 

 Falese 2 ; the lower one with a long awn ; the upper one bifid, 

 toothed. — ^Panicle spike-form. 



1. P. ghmeraius Willd. : panicle dense, oblong, interrupted below; 

 glumes linear, acuminate, nearly equal, armed with a long rough bristle ; 

 paieffi unarmed, hairy at base. P. racemosiis NvM. MuhUnbergia glome- 

 rata Trin. 



Bogs and swamps. Mass. and N.Y. W. to Miss. Aug., Sept. %.. — Calm's — 4 

 feet high, a little compressed, simple or sparingly branched above. Leaves sca- 

 brous and somewhat glaucous. Panicle crowded and spike-like, the lower flowers 

 remote. Close-fiowered Beard- grass. 



2, P. sericeus Spreng.: leaves convolute- filiform, smooth; panicle diffuse, 

 capillary, very slender ; pedicels longer than the awns ; awns 3 — 4 times 

 as long as the palese. Trlchochioa capillaris D. C. Slipa sericea Mich. 

 Agrostis sericea MiM. 



Sandy fields. Mass. to Car. June, July. %. — CmZots 2 feet high, cespitose, 

 Very slender. Panicle 8 — 10 inches long, glossy and purple. 



Silky Beard-grass. 



VI. ARUNDiNE.a:. Spikelets either 1-Jlowered, with or without an 

 abortive pedicel, or many-flowered. Flowers usually with long soft hairs 

 at the base. Glumes and palece 2, membranaceously herbaceous. 



23. CALAMAGROSTIS. Adam.— SmoW Reed. 

 (From the Greek KaXajxos, a reed, and Agrostis, a genus of grasses.) 



Spikelets 1-flowered. Glumes 2, nearly equal, acute or acu- 

 minate. Paleae 2, mostly shorter than the glumes, surrounded 

 with hairs at the base ; lower one mucronate, mostly awned be- 



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