436 GRAMINACEiE. 



28 SPARTINA. Schreb.— Marsh Grass. 

 (Said to be named on account of its similarity to Lygeum Spartum.) 

 Spikelets imbricate, one-flowered, much compressed. Glumes 

 and paleae unequal, awnless. Styles mostly united below. — 

 Spikes unilateral. 



1. S. cyiiosuroides Willd. : leaves very long, filiform at the end, at length 

 convolute ; spikes numerous, (8 — 40,) scattered, pedunculate, forming a 

 long.secund panicle; glumes serrulate on the keel, with a long slender 

 point; style 2-cleft at the summit. {Torr. N. Y. FL.) S. pohjstachya Muhl. 

 Limnetis cynosuroides and polyslachya Pers. 



Marshes and banks of streams. Can. to Car. W. to the Platte River. Aug. 

 7|.. — Culm 3-— 8 feet high, smooth, terete. Leaves 1 — 3 feet long, narrow. 

 Spikes linear, about 3 inches long, on scabrous spreading peduncles. 



Tall Marsh-grass. 



2. /S". juncea Willd. : leaves distichous, convolute, spreading ; spikes few, 

 (1—5,) on smooth peduncles ; paleae rather obtuse ; styles distinct nearly to 

 the base. Limnetis juncea Pers. 



Salt marshes and river banks. Can. to Car. July, Aug. %. — Root creep- 

 ing, forming thick tufts. Culm 1 — 2 feet high, rigid, smooth. Leaves 6 — 10 

 inches long, very slender, smooth. Spikes usually 3 ; the lowest pedunculate. 

 It forms a part of salt hay. Rush-like Marsh-grass. 



3. (S. alternifolia Loisel. : leaves channelled, erect ; spikes numerous, 

 (8—14), elongated, sessile, erect, appressed; glumes and paleae nearly 

 smooth ; styles distinct nearly to the base. S. glabra Muhl. 



Salt marshes. N. Y. and Ma.'^s. to Car. Aug., Sept. Tj .—Root creeping ex- 

 tensively. Culm 3 — 5 feet high, smooth and somewhat succulent. Leaves 

 broad at the base, tapering to a long point. Spikes unequal, closely appressed 

 to the common rachis. For thatching it is said to be preferable to wheat straw. 

 It has a strong rancid smell, which renders it unfit for cattle. 



S7nooth Marsh-grass. 



29. ATHEROPOGON. MwAZ.— Atheropogon. 



(From the Greek adrjp, a bristle, and Trwywi/, a beard ; the beards being bristle- 

 like.) 



Spikelets unilateral, nearly sessile, alternate, 2 — 3-flowered ; 

 the terminal flower abortive. Glumes 2, membranaceous, un- 

 equal ; the lower shorter, setiform. Perfect flower, subcoria- 

 ceous. Lower palea 3-toothed or 3-bristled; upper bifid. 

 Abortive flower pedicellate, neutral. — Spikes short, arranged in 

 a raceme. 



A. apludoides Muhl. : spikes numerous, in a terminal raceme, alternate, 

 distant, pendulous, at length secund ; spikelets mostly 2-flowered ; lower 

 palea of the perfect flower tricuspidate ; abortive flower with 3 bristles. 

 Chlm-is curtipendula Mich. BmUeloua racemosa Lag. Torr. N. Y. FL 



Dry rocky banks. N. Y. N. J. and Penn. W. to the Rocky Mountains ; rare. 

 Aug. %..— Culm 2 — 3 feet high, geniculate at baf;e, smooth. Leaves lanceolate. 



