200 GRAMINEAE. 
75. DACTYLIS L. Sp. Pl. 71. 1753. 
A tall perennial grass, with flat leaves and paniculate inflorescence. Spikelets 3-5-flow- 
ered, short-pedicelled, in dense capitate clusters, the flowers perfect or the upper staminate. 
Two lower scales empty, thin-membranous, keeled, unequal, mucronate; flowering scales 
larger than the empty ones, rigid, 5-nerved, keeled, the midnerve extended into a point or 
short awn; palets shorter than the scales, 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas 
plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scale and palet. [Name used by Pliny for some grass 
with finger-like spikes]. 
A monotypic genus of Europe and Asia. 
1. Dactylis glomerata_ L. Orchard 
Grass. (Fig. 457.) 
Dactylis glomerata Y,. Sp. Pl. 71. 1753. 
Culms 2°-4° tall, tufted, erect, simple, smooth 
and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the inter- 
nodes, smooth or rough; ligule 1/’-2’’ long; 
leaves 3/-9’ long, 1//-3/’ wide, flat, scabrous; 
panicle 3/—8’ in length, the branches spreading 
or ascending in flower, erect in fruit, the lower 
1/-214’ long, spikelet-bearing from above or be- 
low the middle; spikelets in dense capitate clus- 
ters, 3-5-flowered; lower scales 1-3-nerved, the 
first shorter than the second; flowering scales 
2//-3// long, rough, pointed or short-awned, 
ciliate on the keel. 
In fields and waste places, New Brunswick to 
Manitoba, south to South Carolina and Kansas. 
Naturalized from Europe and cultivated for fodder. 
June-July. 
TO CY NOSUMU Stes op ell. 72.) 75s: 
Annual or perennial tufted grasses, with flat leaves and dense spike-like inflorescence. 
Spikelets of two kinds, in small clusters; lower spikelets of the clusters consisting of nar- 
row empty scales, with a continuous rachilla, the terminal spikelets of 2-4 broader scales, 
with an articulated rachilla and subtending perfect flowers. Two lower scales in the fertile 
spikelets empty, I-nerved, the flowering scales broader, I-3-nerved, pointed or short-awned; 
upper scales narrower, usually empty. Scales of the sterile spikelets pectinate, spreading, 
all empty, linear-subulate, 1-nerved. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, short. Stigmas loosely 
plumose. Grain finally adherent to the palet. [Greek, signifying dog’s tail, referring to 
the spike. ] 
About 5 species, natives of the Old World. 
1. Cynosurus cristatus L. Dog’s-tail 
Grass. (Fig. 458.) 
Cynosurus cristatus Y. Sp. Pl. 72. 1753. 
Culms 1°-2'%° tall, erect, slender, simple, smooth 
and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the internodes; 
ligule 4%” long, truncate; leaves 114’-5/ long, 12’/-2’’ 
wide, smooth, glabrous; spike-like panicle 2/4’ in 
length, 2'%’/-6’’ wide, long-exserted; spikelets ar- 
ranged in clusters, the terminal fertile, the lower 
larger and sterile; scales of the former about 11/’ 
long, pointed or short-awned, the scales of the sterile 
spikelets very narrow, pointed, strongly scabrous on 
the keel. 
In fields and waste places, Quebee and Ontario to south- 
ern New York and New Jersey. Adventive from Europe. 
June-Aug. 
