Order 156.— GRAM1NE.E. 779 



natc, stigmas plumous, elongated. — Panicle contracted into a cylindric, 

 dense spike. 



1 A, pratensis L. Culm erect, smooth, leafy, about 2f high, bearing an erect, 

 dense, many-flowered, cylindric, obtuse, compound spike, about 2' long; lvs. 

 flat, smooth, the upper shorter than its swelling sheath ; stipules ovate ; glumes 

 ciliate, connate below the middle, as long as the pale; awn twisted, scabrous, 

 nearly thrice tlie length of the flower. — If Fields and pastures, Northern States. 

 An excellent grass. Jn., JL §. 



2 A. geniculatus L. Bent Fox-tail. Culm ascending, geniculate below, spar- 

 ingly branched, 1 — 2f high; spike cylindrical, about 2' long; lvs. linear, 3 — 6' 

 long, the upper equaling or exceeding the smooth, fiat, acute, slightly inflated 

 sheath; stipules oblong, entire; glumes slightly connate at base, hairy outside ; 

 paleoz truncate, smooth, half as long as the geniculate awn. — If Wet meadows, N. 

 Eug., Mid. States and Brit. Am. Jn. § 



3 A. aristulatus Mx. Wild Water Fox-tail. Glaucous ^ culm decumbent 

 at base, beat at the joints, ascending 1 to 2f; lvs. linear, flat, gradually acute ; 

 glumes subequal, pubescent, obtuse, shorter than the obtuse pale, which bears on 

 the middle of its back a slwrt ,<iwn scarcely exceeding its apex ; anth. oblong, 

 yellow. — Zf" Native in Ohio to Mian. (Lapham) and 111. Jn. — Aug. (A. genl- 

 cularus, j3. Ed. 2d.) 



fi. PHLEUM, L. Cat-tail Grass. (Gr. <pleog ; used by the an- 

 cients probably for a different plant.) Glumes 2, equal, carinate, much 

 longer than the pales, rostrate or mucronate; pales 2, included in the 

 glumes, truncate, awnless. — Compound spikes cylindric, very dense. 



1 P. pratense L. Timothy or Herd's Grass. Culm erect, simple, terete, 

 smooth, 2 — 4f high ; lvs. linear-lanceolate, flat, glaucous, roughish ; sheaths stri- 

 ate, smooth; stip. obtuse, lacerated; gls. cuspidate, in a dense, long, cylindric, green 

 spike; anth. purple; stig. white. — This is probably the most valuable of all 

 grasses. It is extensively cultivated in N. &ng., Mid. and W. States, but it fails 

 further South. Jn., JL § Eur. 



2 P.' alpinum L. Mountain Herd's Grass. Oulm about If high, simple, erect ; 

 lvs. shorter than the sheaths, broad and clasping at base, acute at apex, smooth; 

 sheaths inflated; spicate j>an., oblong-ovate, very short (4 to 5" long); gls. truncate, 

 mucronate, with a fringed keel; awns as long as the glumes. — 2f Alpine regions 

 of the White Mts., N. H. Also native of Arc. Am. 



12. ARI5TTDA, L. Beard Grass. Poverty Grass. (Latin arista*, 

 an awn -, characteristic of the genus.) Panicle contracted or racemous ; 

 spikclets 1-flowered, flower stipitate; glumes 2, unequal; pales pedi- 

 cellate, lower one with 3 awns at the tip, upper one very small, awn- 

 less; ovary stipitate ; scales 2, entire; stamens 3 ; stigma plumous. 



§ Awns twisted-confluent below, and Jointed to tho pale, very long: No. 9 



§ Awns distinct below and not jointed to the pale. (*) 



* Awns about equal and divaricate,— thrice as long as the flower Nos. 7, 8 



— twice as long as the flower Nos. 6, 7 



— as long as the flower Nos. 4, 5 



"* Awns unequal, the 2 lateral twice shorter (6") and suberect No. 3 



* Awns very unequal, the 2 lateral 4 times shorter (2") and erect Nos. 1, 2 



1 A. dichotoma Mx Casspitous ; culm dichotomously branching above ; pani- 

 cle contracted-racemous; gls. 3 to 4" long ; lateral awns very short, erect, the 

 intermediate one nearly as long as the pales (3"\ spreading, contorted. — CD A slen- 

 der grass, in sandy soils, U. S., common. Culms 8 — 12' high, branching at each 

 joint Lvs. very narrow, with very short, open sheaths, and a very short stipule. 

 Spikelets slender, on clavate peduncles. Aug. 



2 A. ramosissima Engelm. Culms diffuse, tufted; rac. loose-flowered, simple, 

 slender; glumes with short awns, 3 or 5-veined; lower pale about as long as tho 

 glumes (7 to 9"). lateral awns short (2") erect, middle one spreading, 1' long. — (J) 

 Dry places, I1L (Engelm.) 



