GRASS FAMILY. 199 
74. BRIZA I peSyoy Jel, Gey ay 
Annual or perennial grasses, with flat or convolute leaves and open or rarely contracted 
panicles. Spikelets large, flattened, tumid, many-flowered, nodding, the flowers perfect. 
Scales thin-membranous, strongly concave, the 2 lower empty, 3-5-nerved, somewhat un- 
equal; flowering scales imbricated, broader than the empty ones, 5-many-nerved; uppermost 
scales often empty; palets much shorter than the scales, hyaline, 2-keeled or 2-nerved. 
Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain usually free, enclosed in the scale 
and palet, [Greek name for some grain, perhaps rye. ] 
About 12 species, natives of the Old World and temperate South America. 
Perennial; ligule '¢’’ long or less, truncate; spikelets 5-12-flowered, 2'’-2%'' long. 1. B. media. 
Annual; ligule 1’ long or more, acute; spikelets 3-6-flowered, 1’’-1%4’’ long. 2. B. minor. 
1, Briza média I. Quake-grass. Quaking Grass. (Fig. 455.) 
Briza media l,. Sp. Pl. 70. 1753. 
Smooth and glabrous, culms 6/-2° tall, erect, 
from a perennial root, simple. Sheaths shorter 
than the internodes; ligule %/’ long or less, 
truncate; leaves 1/-3/ long, 1/’/-214’’ wide; pan- 
icle 114’-5’ in length, the capillary branches 
spreading or ascending, 1/-234’ long; spikelets 
2//-2%’’ long, orbicular to deltoid-ovate, 5-12- 
flowered; scales scarious-margined, the lower 
ones about 1’’ long; flowering scales 1//— 
1%” long, broader than the lower ones, widely 
spreading. 
In fields and waste places, Ontario to Massachu- 
setts and Rhode Island. Naturalized from Europe. 
Native also of Asia. June-July. 
2. Briza minor I, Lesser Quaking 
Grass. (Fig. 456.) 
Briza minor I,. Sp. Pl. 70. 1753. 
Smooth and glabrous, culms 4/—15/ tall, erect 
from an annual root, simple. Sheaths shorter 
than the internodes; ligule 1’’-3’’ long, acute; 
leaves 1/—5’ long, 1’’-4’’ wide, sometimes’ sca- 
brous; panicle 2’-5’ in length, open, the capil- 
lary branches spreading or ascending, 1/-234’ 
long; spikelets 3-6-flowered, 1//-1%4’’ long, 
about 2’’ broad, truncate at the base; scales 
scarious-margined, the lower ones about 1/7 
long; flowering scales much broader and deeply 
saccate, about 3’ long. 
In ballast and waste places about Camden, N. J.; 
common in California, and widely distributed in 
tropical America. Adventive or naturalized from 
Enrope. June-July. 
