CHLOKIDE.E. 403 



extending into a slender awn or rarely awnless. The 1 to several 

 empty glumes towards the apex of the rachilla short, broad and 

 truncate or narrow, often awned or bristle-pointed, rarely awnless; 

 palea scarcely shorter than its glume, folded, nerves prominent. 

 Stamens 3. Styles distinct, stigmas feathery. Grain included by 

 the glume, but not adlierent, oblong-lanceolate or almost linear, 

 subterete or nearly 3-sided, rarely grooved. Pericarp very thin 

 and loose as in Sporoholus. Mostly perennials, culms compressed, 

 blades flat, often with cross-veins. Spikes solitary or in pairs, erect, 

 or many and digitate at the apex of the terminal peduncle. The 

 floral glume often clothed with hairs. 



It is a natural though somewhat polymorphous genus. In a 

 number of species the upper empty glumes are broad and truncate 

 at the apex. 



There are forty species, widely dispersed in the warmer regions 

 of the world. 



A. Floral glume with hairs 2-2.5 mm. long 1, 2 



B. No conspicuous hairs on the floral glume (a) 



a. Awns prominent, spikelets rather remote, no spikelets on 



rootstocks 3 



a. Awns prominent. Spikelets of the panicle rather remote; 



spikelets on the rootstocks also 4 



a. Awns very short, spikelets crowded (b) 



b. Empty glumes longer than the floral glumes. . . 5 



b. Empty glumes as long as the floral glumes. ... 6 



b. Empty glumes shorter than the floral glumes. . . (c) 



c. Spikes about 3 cm. long, light-colored. ... 7 



c. Spikes over 5 cm. long, brown when mature. . (d) 



d. Spikes 1-2 8 



d. Spikes 3-8 9 



d. Spikes 8-20 10 



1. C. elegans H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. 1 : 166, (1815). C. alha 

 Presl. Rel. Ha?nk. 1 : 289 (1830). 



Culms 30-60 cm. high. Sheaths slightly inflated; blades lan- 

 ceolate, 2-15 cm. long, slightly scabrous. Spikes 8-12, umbellate, 

 4-6 cm. long, sometimes included, wnth iuternodes 1 mm. long. 



