226 GRAMINEAE. 
1. Lepturus filiformis (Roth) Trin. 
Slender Hardgrass. (Fig. 523.) 
Rottboellia filiformis Roth, Catal. 1: 21. 1797. 
FRINTYS Jjiliformis Trin, Fund. Agrost. 123. 
1820. 
Culms 3/-12’ long, decumbent, much 
branched, smooth and glabrous. Sheaths 
loose, shorter than the internodes; ligule 14/’ 
long, auriculate; leaves 44/-2/ long, 1/’ wide 
or less, usually involute, smooth beneath, 
rough above; spikes 1/-6’ in length, slender, 
strict or curved; spikelets 2’/-214’7 long; 
empty scales acute; flowering scales about 
134’/ long, I-nerved. 
In waste places, southern Pennsylvania to 
Virginia, near or along the coast. Adventive 
from Europe. Summer. 
88. AGROPYRON J. Gaertn. Nov. Comm. Petrop. 14: Part 1, 539. 1770. 
Annual or perennial grasses, with flat or involute leaves and terminal spikes. Spikelets 
3-many-flowered, sessile, single and alternate at each notch of the usually continuous rachis, 
the side of the spikelet turned toward therachis. ‘Iwo lower scales empty; flowering scales 
rigid, rounded on the back, 5~7-nerved, usually acute or awned at the apex; palets 2-keeled, 
the keels often ciliate. Stamens 3. Styles very short, distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain 
pubescent at the apex, usually adherent to the palet. [Greek, referring to the growth of 
these grasses in wheat fields. ] 
About 32 species, in all temperate regions. Besides the following, some 5 others occur in the 
western parts of North America. 
Plants w ith running rootstocks. 
Flow ering scales glabrous. 1. A. repens. 
Flowering scales villous. 2. A. dasystachyum. 
Plants without running rootstocks. 
Flowering scale terminating in an awn shorter than its body. 
Spikes short and broad; empty scales broad, 5-7-nerved. 
Spikes long and slender; _empty scales narrow, 3-5-nerved. 
Flowering scale terminating in an awn longer than its: body. 
. violaceum. 
A. fenerum. 
4. caninum. 
Wey 
ae 
Bobthe 
. Agropyron répens (I,.) Beauy. Couch- 
grass. Quitch-grass. (Fig. 524.) 
Triticum repens 1, Sp. Pl. 86. 1753. 
Agropyron repens Beauv. Agrost. 146. 1812. 
Culms 1°-4° tall, from a long jointed running root- 
stock. Sheaths usually shorter than the internodes, 
smooth and glabrous; ligule very short; leaves 3/—12 
long, 1/’-5’’ wide, smooth beneath, rough above; 
spike 2/-8’ in length, strict; spikelets 3-7-flowered; 
empty scales strongly 5-7-nerved, usually acute or 
awn-pointed, sometimes obtuse; flowering scales 
smooth and glabrous, acute or short-awned at the 
apex. 
In fields and waste places, almost throughout North 
America except”’the extreme north. Naturalized from 
Europe and often a troublesome weed. Very variable. 
Native also of Asia. July-Sept. 
Agropyron répens glaicum (Desf.)Scribn. Mem. Torr. Club, 5:57. 1894. 
Triticum glaucum Desf. Tabl. Bot. Mus. 16. 1804. 
Agropyrum glaucum R. & S. Syst. 2:752. 1817. 
Larger and stouter, pale greén or glaucous; spikelets 5-15-flowered, the empty scales long- 
acuminate. Minnesota and Manitoba to Alaska, south to Missouri, Texas and Arizona. Reported 
from New England. Probably a distinct species. 
