GRASS FAMILY. 197 
72. UNIOLA L.. Syoy, 1G Fig | aye 
Erect and often tall grasses with flat or conyolute leaves and paniculate inflorescence. 
Spikelets 3-many-flowered, flat, 2-edged, the flowers perfect, or the upper staminate. 
Scales flattened, keeled, sometimes winged, rigid, usually acute; the lower 3-6 empty, un- 
equal; the flowering scales many-nerved, the uppermost scales often smaller and empty; 
palets rigid, 2-keeled. Stamens 1-3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain com- 
pressed, free, loosely enclosed in the scale and palet. [Name diminutive of wus, one, of no 
obvious application. ] 
About 8 species, natives of America. Besides the following, 2 others occur in the southeastern 
United States. 
Spikelets about %’ in length; panicle spike-like. Men Lae: 
Spikelets exceeding %’ in length; panicle open. 
Panicle lax, the branches pendulous; spikelets on long capillary pedicels. 2. U. latifolia. 
Panicle strict, the branches erect, rigid; spikelets on short stout pedicels. 3. U. paniculata. 
1. Uniola laxa (L,.) B.S.P. Slender Spike-grass. (Fig. 451.) 
Ffolcus laxus ¥,. Sp. Pl. 1048. 1753. 
Uniola gracilis Michx, Fl. Bor, Am. 1: 71. 
1803. 
Uniola laxa B.S.P. Prel. Cat. N. Y.69. 1888. 
Smooth and glabrous, culms 11%4°-4° 
tall, erect, simple, slender. Sheaths 
shorter than the internodes; ligule very 
short; leaves 5/-15’ long, 1//-3’’ wide, 
usually erect, flat, attenuate into a long 
tip, smooth or slightly rough; pan- 
icle spike-like, 4’-12’ in length, erect, 
strict, or nodding at the summit, the 
branches erect, 1/-2’ long; spikelets 
short-stalked or nearly sessile, 3-6- 
flowered, about 3’ long; lower scales 
much shorter than the flowering ones, 
which are 134’/-2’’ long, acuminate, 
spreading in fruit; palet arched, about 
two-thirds as long as the scale; stamen 1. 
Sandy soil, Long Island to Pennsylvania 
and Kentucky, south to Florida and Texas, 
mostly near the coast. Ascends to goo ft. in 
North Carolina. Aug.—Sept. 
2. Uniola latifolia Michx.  Broad- 
leaved Spike-grass. (Fig. 452.) 
Uniola latifolia Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 70. 
1803. 
Culms 2°-5° tall, erect, simple, smooth 
and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the in- 
ternodes; ligule 14’’ long, lacerate-toothed; 
leaves 4’—9/ long, 4’-1’ wide, flat, narrowed 
into a somewhat rounded, often ciliate base, 
acuminate at the apex, smooth, excepting on 
the margins; panicle lax, 5'4’-10/ in length, 
its branches filiform and pendulous, the 
lower 2/-5’ long; spikelets many-flowered, 
oblong to ovate, 3(’-14’ long, on long cap- 
illary pendulous pedicels; lower scales much 
smaller than the flowering ones, which are 
414//-6” long, ciliate-hispid on the winged 
keel; stamen 1. 
In moist places, Pennsylvania to Illinois and 
Kansas, south to Florida and ‘Texas. Ascends 
to 2000 ft. in North Carolina. Aug.—Sept. 
