GRAMINACE^. 



445 



7. G. obtusa: panicle dense, ovate ; spikelets ovate, tumid, 5— 7-flow- 

 ered; glumes scarious; paleae ovate, smooth, obtuse; lower one indis- 

 tinctly 7-nerved. Poa obtusa Muhl. 



Swamps. N. Eng. N. J. and Penn. Muhl. Aug., Sept. %.—Ctdm 3—4 

 feet high. Leaves linear, as long as the culm, and with the sheaths smooth. 

 Panicle 3—4 inches long, many-flowered. Ohiuse-fioioered Manna-grass. 



41. BRIZA. JLzTiTi,— Gluaking Grass. 



(From the Greek /?pt0w, to balance ; the spikelets being delicately suspended.) 



Spikelets cordate-ovate, many-flowered. Glumes shorter 



than the lower* flowers. Paleae ventricose ; lower one cordate 



at base, embracing the upper, which is nearly round and much 



shorter. Caryopsis beaked. — Panicle loose. 



B. media Lhm. : panicle erect, few-flowered ; spikelets broad-ovate, 

 about 7-flowered ; glume smaller than the flowers. 



Meadows. Near Boston, Mass. Big. Penn. Muhl. June. %.—Culm 

 la— 18 inches high, slender. Leaves short, linear, acuminate. Panicle with 

 filiform spreading purple branches. Introduced from Europe and naturalized 

 in a few places. • Common Quaking-grass. 



42. MELICA. Linn. — Melic Grass. 



(A name given in Italy to the Sorghum vulgare, on account of the sweet fla 

 vor of its stem, from mel, honey, and applied by Linnaeus to this genus. Hook. 

 Br. Fl.) 



Spikelets 2 — 4-flowered, one or more of the upper flowers in^ 

 complete and abortive. Glumes 2-valved, unequal. Paleae 

 membranaceous, unarmed. Caryopsis loose, not furrowed. — 

 Panicle loose. 



M. speciosa Muhl. : smooth ; panicle loose, erect, few-flowered ; branches 

 simple ; flowers obtuse. M. glabra Mich. 



Mountains. Penn. to Flor. June. %.—Cuhn 3—4 feet high. Panicle sub- 

 secund, with solitary branches. Shovyy Mehc-grass. 



43. KCELERIA. Pers.— Kceleria. 

 (In honor of M. Rosier, a German botanist.) 



Spikelets compressed, 2 — 4-flowered. Glumes 2, shorter 

 than the flowers ; the lower much narrower, keeled. Paleae 

 membranaceous, unequal ; the lower acute or obtuse, unawned 

 or with a short awn below the tip ; the upper 2-keeled. Styles 

 very short. — Panicle contracted or spike-like. 



1. K. Pennsylvamca D. C. : lower leaves and sheaths softly pubescent; 

 panicle long, very slender, rather loose ; spikelets mostly 2-flowered ; uppei 

 glume oblanceolate, obtuse or slightly pointed ; lower palea rough. Aira 

 mollis Muhl. 



