FESTUCE.E. 515 



Very nearly allied to P. Calif or nicum, into which, jierhaps, it 

 passes. 



o. P. Sabinii E. Br. Parry's First Voy. Suppl. 289, (err. typ. 

 189), (18-2-i). 



Culms erect, smooth, simple, G-15 cm. high. Sheaths slightly 

 compressed, closed almost to the apex; ligule very short; blades 

 of the culm flat, smooth, 2—4 mm. wide, the upper 0.5-3 cm. 

 long, those of the sterile shoots longer and narrower. Itacliis 

 5-8 cm. long, i)edicels of spikelets but little longer tlian tlie empty 

 glumes, recurved. Spikelets subterete, drooping, 5-8 mm. long, 

 3-10-flowered ; empty glumes 1-3 mm. long, the first ovate, aciite, the 

 second obovate, obtuse, a little the longer and broader; floral glume 

 obovate-oblong, about 4 mm. long, 5-nerved, clothed witli very fine 

 appressed pubescence, the upper half white, scarious; palea ciliate 

 on the keels, deeply emarginate, as long as its glume. There are 

 two varieties. 



Melville Island, U. S. Dept. Afjricul. from tlie British Museum. 

 Only a fragmentary specimen was examined somewhat superficially. 



119. (246). Uniola L. Sp. PI. 71 (1753). Trisiola Eafin. in 

 Fl. Ludov. 141: (1817). C^iasmanthium Link, Hort. Berol. 1: 159 

 (1827). 



Spikelets closely 3-20-flowered, very flat with thin edges, one or 

 more of the lowest neutral or consisting only of an empty glume, 

 rachilla articulate between the florets. Empty glumes lanceolate, 

 compressed-keeled, rigid, many-nerved, awnless; floral glume 

 longer, nsually acute or pointed, entire; palea rather firm, with 

 two narrowly winged keels. Stamens 3. Grain oblong, compressed, 

 loosely enclosed, but not adherent. 



Erect tufted smootli perennials from creeping rootstocks, with 

 blades flat or involute. Panicle loose or spikelike. There are five 

 or six species known, all belonging to North America, and one 

 extending into South America; all with broad, flat spikelets in 

 which the 3-6 lower glumes are empty, in size and shape gradually 

 passing into the floral ones. 



A. Spikelets 2-3 cm. long (a) 



a. Empty glumes thin 1 



