DESCRIPTIONS OF TRIBES AND GENERA. 161 



Spikelets very many -flowered, strongly compressed, with 

 crowded, two-ranked, coriaceous, sharply keeled glumes 

 and palete. Flowering glumes pointed, awnless. 



Species four, one in the regions of the Mediterranean, 

 three in South Africa. D. sicula Dum. {Brizopyrum sicu- 

 lum Link) is an annual frequently cultivated as an orna- 

 mental grass. 



249. (187) Wangenheimia Monch. A small annual 

 grass, with very short, compact, and one-sided spikes. 

 Spikelets awnless, sharply keeled, downy. 



Species one ( W. disticha Monch), in Spain and North 

 Africa. 



250. (248) MluYOY>vLsTYm.(ChamcedactylisNees). Creep- 

 ing, rigid, much-branched grasses, with closely two- 

 ranked, often stiff leaves. Spikelets densely crowded, 

 many-flowered ; flowering glumes 7-9-nerved, broad, 

 somewhat mucronate-pointed. 



Species four, mostly in the saline or alkaline soil in 

 the regions of the Mediterranean, in Central Asia, Arabia, 

 Hindostan. 



251. (250) Lasiochloa Kunth. Spikelets 2-3-flowered 

 in a crowded cylindrical or interrupted panicle. Empty 

 glumes as long as the spikelet, 5-7-nerved, obtusely 

 keeled, tuberculate-hispid ; flowering glumes awnless. 



Species 3-4, in South Africa. L. hirta and L. adscen- 

 dens Kunth are the most frequent. 



252. (249) Dactylis L. Spikelets 3-5-flowered, much 

 compressed, somewhat concave on the inner side ; ar- 

 ranged in dense fascicles ; empty glumes 1-3-nerved, as 

 well as the flowering glumes, sharply keeled ; the flower- 

 ing glumes fringed on the keel and short awn-pointed. 



Species one, with several varieties, throughout Eu- 

 rope, in temperate Asia and North Africa. Naturalized 

 in North America. D. glomerata L. (Fig. 84). Panicle 

 made up of fascicles or dense glomerules. A first-class 

 fodder-grass especially for heavy, wet soils. Very pro- 

 ductive, rapidly growing, especially after cutting ; endures 

 shade, and on this account is called " Orchard-grass" in 

 North America. 



