152 Descriptions of some new Grasses. 



glumes unequal, mostly shorter than the sub-equal corolla ; 

 sheaths bearded at the throat. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Root perennial, creeping ? 



Culm 2 — 3 feet high, with a few short branches at the base, 



leafy. 

 Leaves linear, 2 — 3 lines broad, smooth on both sides. Sheaths 



smooth, without included flowers, slightly bearded at the 



throat. Stipule an obsolete ring. 

 Panicle large, pyramidal, free at the base ; lower branches in 



pairs, or ternate ; the upper ones alternate. Flowers all on 



distinct pedicels, purplish, oblong. 

 Calyx two-glumed ; glumes unequal, mostly shorter than the 



corolla ; inferior lanceolate acute j superior oblong, rather 



obtuse, one-nerved, smooth. 

 Corolla two-valved, smooth, awnless; valves sub-equal, acute. 

 Stamens three ; anthers purplish, exserted. 

 Seed roundish, brown. 

 Hab. On the branches of the Arkansas, near the Rocky 



Mountains. 



4. Agrostis caespitosa.* 



Cespitose ; culm branched, somewhat incurved ; leaves in- 

 volute, sub-distichous, pungent ; panicle contracted ; flowers 

 awned. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Root perennial, creeping ? 



Culm densely cespitose, 3 — 4 inches high, branched from the 

 base, incurved, very leafy, smooth. 



Leaves three-fourths of an inch long, subulate-involute, dis- 

 posed in a distichous manner, spreading, rigid and pungent. 



