162 TRICUSPIS. 



annual, growing from two to three feet high. Flowers 

 in August. 



2. L. Fascicularis, Gray (Clustering Slender Grass). 

 Brackish meadows from Rhode Island southward, 

 along the coast, and from Illinois southward, on the 

 Mississippi. Flowers in August. 



25. TRICUSPIS— Beauv. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Spikelets 3 to 12-flowered, somewhat terete ; the 

 terminal Ho wer abortive. Glumes unequal. Rhachis 

 of the spikelet bearded below each flower. Palets 

 membranaceous or somewhat chartaceous ; the lower 

 much larger than the 2 -toothed upper one, convex, 2 

 to 3-toothed or cleft at the apex, conspicuously hairy- 

 bearded or villous on the 3 strong nerves, of which 

 the lateral are marginal or nearly so and usually ex- 

 current, as is the mid nerve especially, into a short 

 cusp or awn. Stamens 3. Stigmas dark purple, 

 plumose. Grain oblong, nearly gibbous. Leaves 

 taper-pointed ; sheaths bearded at the throat. Pan- 

 icle simple or compound ; the spikelets often race- 

 mose, purplish 



lN"ame from the Latin trlcuspis^ three-pointed, al 

 luding to the lower palet. 



1. T. Seslerioides (Tall Red Top). A showy grass, 

 growing from three to 5 feet high, on dry or sandy 

 fields, from I^ew York to Illinois, and southward. 

 Flowers in August. 



