FESTUCEJ5. 565 



long, rays mostly in twos and threes, tlie longest two-thirds as 

 long as the panicle, branching and flower bearing for two- thirds of 

 its length. Spikelets ovate, becoming broader, tumid, like those 

 of Briza, 5 mm. long, o-9-flowered, pale, sometimes tinged with 

 purple, joint of rachilla about 0.5 mm. long, and brittle; empty 

 glumes ovate, often acute, 1-nerved, first 1.5-2 mm. long, second 

 2-3 mm. long; floral glume oval, acute or blunt-pointed, 7-nerved, 

 3-3.5 mm. long; palea broadly oval, 3-5 mm. long, 2-keeled, 

 2-toothed, the keels bent backward. 



Vermont, Pringh ; Massachusetts, Beal 112 ; Rhode Island, 

 Tweedy for U. S. Dept. Agricul. G80; Michigan, Houghton, F. E. 

 Wood, Farwell, Wheeler; Minnesota, Arthur B 264. 



Wet places, Maine, Canada to Minnesota and south to Penn- 

 sylvania. 



2. P. obtusa (Mnhl.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Rl. 783 (1891). Foa 

 ohtusa Muhl. Gram. 147 (1817). Glyceria obtusa Trin, Mem. 

 Acad. St. Petersb. (VI.) 1:366 (1831). 



An erect stout perennial, 30-70 cm. high. Sheaths mostly 

 longer than the internodes; ligule firm, less than 1 mm. long; 

 blades of the culm 6-7, besides those of sterile shoots, scabrous above, 

 thick, flat or the margins involute, 15-30 cm. long, 4-7 mm. wide. 

 Panicle erect, rigid, narrowly oblong, dense, 8-12 cm. long, rays 

 numerous, very short. Spikelets 4-8 mm. long, ovate, 3-6-8- 

 flowered, joint of rachilla about 0.5 mm. long; empty glumes 

 nearly equal when separated and measured, 2.2 mm. long, ovate, 

 1-nerved; floral glume concave, coriaceous, 3.5mm. long, oblong be- 

 fore spreading, indistinctly 7-nerved; palea firm, oval before 

 spreading, nearly as long as its glume. Grain nearly 2 mm. long, 

 roughened, compressed, oval, pointed at the base. 



Massachusetts, W. P. Conant, R. J. Congden, Sturtevant ; Xew 

 Jersey, Scrihner for U. S. Dept. Agricul. 690, Clark 1918, Canby^ 

 Scribner 3466, Dr. J. B. Brinton, Beal 113. 



Low grounds, New England to Xorth Carolina, near the coast. 

 A striking })lant, when once seen not soon forgotten. 



3. P. elongata Torr. Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PL 783 (1891). I'oa 



