150 GRAMINEAE. 
30. PHIPPSIA R. Br. Suppl. App. Parry’s Voy. 275. 1824. 
A low annual tufted grass, with flat leaves and spike-like’panicles. Spikelets 1-flowered; 
scales 3; the 2 outer empty, minute, the first often wanting; the third scale thin-membran- 
ous, keeled. Palet somewhat shorter, 2-keeled. Stamen 1, rarely 2 or 3. Styles short, 
distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain oblong, enclosed in the scale and palet, which readily 
split and allow it to drop out. [In honor of John Constantine Phipps, 1744-1792, Arctic 
navigator. | 
A monotypic genus of the arctic regions. 
1. Phippsia algida (Soland.) R. Br. Phippsia. (Fig. 340.) 
! a Agrostis algida Solander, in Phipps’ Voy. 200. 
Ny 1810. 
ye bY Phippsia algida R. Br. Suppl. App. Parry’s Voy. 
275. 1824. 
4, } Smooth and glabrous throughout, culms 1/-5” 
Ww J tall, erect, simple; ligule 14’ long; leaves 1/ in 
{ a! length or less, %’/-1’’ wide, obtuse; panicle 
y jf, \(/-114/ in length, contracted; branches \4 /—3/’ 
ri long, erect or appressed; spikelets 14//-34// 
WV long; outer scales minute, unequal, acutish, 
the first often wanting; third scale broad, 1- 
LL, 
UffJ 7 nerved, obtuse, or sub-truncate and somewhat 
erose, the palet about two-thirds as long, broad, 
Go 2-keeled, erose-truncate, 
i 
Arctic regions of both the Old World and the 
New. Summer. 
31. SPOROBOLUS R. Br. Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 1: 169. 1810. 
[VILFA Beauy. Agrost. 16. 1812. ] 
Perennial or rarely annual grasses, with flat or convolute leaves and open or contracted 
panicles. Spikelets generally small, 1-flowered, occasionally 2-3-flowered. Scales in the 
1-flowered spikelets 3, membranous; the 2 outer empty, the first somewhat shorter; the 
third scale equalling or longer than the empty ones; palet 2-nerved. Stamens 2-3. Styles 
very short, distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, and often early deciduous. [Greek, 
referring to the deciduous grain. ] 
About 80 species, in tropical and temperate regions, very numerous in America. Besides the 
following, 4 or 5 others occur in the southern and western U nited States. 
Panicle contracted, spike-like. 
Spikelets more than 1'’ in length. 
Panicle terminal; upper sheaths 3’ long or more. 
Leaves glabrous or very nearly so. 
Third scale of the spikelet acuminate, much longer than the second and usually 
greatly exceeded by the palet. 1. S. asper. 
Third scale of the spikelet acutish or obtuse, somewhat exceeding the second 
and equalling or a little shorter than the palet. 2. S. longifolius. 
Leaves, at least the lower, papillose-hirsute. 3. S. pilosus. 
Panicles terminal and lateral; sheaths 132’ long or less. 4. S. vaginaeflorus. 
Spikelets 11s’ long or less. 
Sheaths inflated, the uppermost usually enclosing the base of the panicle. 
5. S. neglectus. 
Sheaths not inflated; panicle exserted. 
Branches of the panicle not crowded; third scale acuminate. 
Outer scales of the spikelet obtuse or abruptly acute, less than half as long as the 
third scale; ligule about 1’ long, acutish, 6. S. brevifolius. 
Outer scales of the spikelet acuminate and awn-pointed, more than half as long as 
the third scale; ligule less than 4%'' long, erose-truncate. S. cuspidatus. 
Branches of the panicle densely crowded; third scale acute. 
Culms decumbent and branched at the base, from a stout Hoa rootstock ;. 
panicle short. S. Virginicus. 
Culms erect, simple, tufted; panicle usually elongated. 9. S. Indicus. 
