182 GRAMINEAE. 
56. DACTYLOCTENIUM Willd. Enum. 1029. 1809. 
An annual grass with flat leaves and spicate inflorescence, the spikes in pairs or digitate_ 
Spikelets several-flowered, sessile, closely imbricated in two rows on one side of the rachis 
which is extended beyond them into a sharp point. Scales compressed, keeled, the 2 lower 
and the uppermost ones empty, the others subtending flowers. Stamens3. Styles distinct, 
short. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, rugose, loosely enclosed in the scale. [Greck, re- 
ferring to the digitately spreading spikes. ] 
A monotypic genus of the warmer parts of the Old World. 
1. Dactyloctenium Aegyptium (L.) Willd. Egyptian Grass. (Fig. 416.): 
Cynosurus Aegyplius I. Sp. Pl. 72. 1753. 
Eleusine Aegyptia Pers. Syn. 1:87. 1805. 
Dactyloctentum Aegypliacum Willd. Enum. 1029. 1809. 
Culms 6’—2° long, usually decumbent and exten- 
sively creeping at the base. Sheaths loose, over- 
lapping and often crowded, smooth and glabrous; 
ligule very short; leaves 6’ in length or less, 1//-3/7 
wide, smooth or rough, sometimes pubescent, 
ciliate toward the base; spikes in pairs, or 3-5 and 
digitate, 14/-2’ long; spikelets 3-5-flowered; scales 
compressed, scabrous on the keel, the second 
awned, the flowering ones broader and pointed. 
In waste places and cultivated ground,’ southern 
New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia to Illinois and 
California, south to Florida and Mexico. Widely dis- 
tributed in tropical America. Naturalized from Asia 
or Africa. July—Oct. 
57- LEPTOCHLOA Beauv. POTOSt. 7 Plot ot fe meee 
Usually tall annual grasses, with flat leaves and numerous spikes forming a simple pan- 
icle. Spikelets usually 2-many-flowered, flattened, alternating in two rows on one side of 
the rachis. Scales 4-many; the 2 lower empty, keeled, shorter than the spikelet; the flower- 
ing scales keeled, 3-nerved. Palet2-nerved. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. 
Grain free, enclosed in the scale and palet. [Greek, in allusion to the slender spikes. ] 
About 12 species, natives of the warmer regions of both hemispheres. Besides the following,. 
3 others occur in the southern United States. 
1. Leptochloa mucronata (Michx. ) 
Kunth. Northern Leptochloa. 
(Fig. 417.) 
Eleusine mucronata Michx. F1. Bor. Am. 1: 65. 1803- 
Leplochloa mucronata Kunth, Gram. 1:91. 1829-35. 
Culms 1°-3° tall, erect, branched, smooth and 
glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the internodes, 
smooth and glabrous; ligule short, lacerate-toothed, 
leaves 2/-8’ long, 1//-3’’ wide, scabrous; spikes 
numerous, slender, rigid, spreading or ascending, 
the lower 2’—6’ long; spikelets usually 3-flowered, 
about 1’’ long, the empty scales shorter than the 
spikelet, acute, I-nerved, slightly scabrous on the 
keel; flowering scales 2-toothed at the apex, 
ciliate on the nerves. 
In dry or moist soil, Virginia ta-[llinois, Missouri 
and California, south to North Carolina, Louisiana 
and Mexico. Alsoin Cuba. July-Sept. 
ba 
