156 CYNODON. 



crowded, naked raceme. Glumes lance awl-sliaped, 

 keeled, almost equal, ratlier longer tlian the some- 

 what equal membranaceous palets, of which the 

 lower is cylindrical-involute, with the midrib pro- 

 duced from just below the 2-cleft apex into a straight 

 and slender, bristle-like awn ; the upper with the 

 abortive rudiments at its base. Stamens 3. Stigmas 

 pencil form, purple. Root perennial. Leaves short 

 and flat, thickish, 1 to 3 inches long. 



jS'ame from ol two G-reek words — gymnos naked, 

 and pogon beatd — alluding to the reduction of the 

 abortive flower to a bare awn. 



1. G. Racemosus (leaked Beard Grass). Pine 

 barrens of New Jersey to Virginia and southward. 

 Flowers in August and September. 



2. G. Trefolius (Short-leaved beard Grass). Sussex 

 county, Delaware, and southward. 



21. CYNODOX— Richard. Bermuda or Scutch 



Grass. 



gei^eeic character. 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, with a mere naked, short, 

 pedicilled rudiment of a second flower, imbricate 

 spiked on one side of a flattish rhachis ; the spikes 

 usually digitate at the naked summit of the flowering- 

 culms. Glumes keeled, pointless, rather unequal. 

 Palets pointless and awnless ; the lower larger, boat- 

 shajjed. Stamens 3. Low, difi"use]y-branched, and 

 extensively -creeping perennials, with short, flattish 

 leaves. 



