GRAMINE^E. (GRASS FAMILY.) 541 



2. A., geniculatus, L. (Floating Foxtail.) Culm ascending, bent 

 at the lover joints ; palea rather shorter than the obtuse glumes, the awn from near 

 its base and projecting half its length beyond it; anthers linear; upper leaf as long 

 as its sheath. 1J. — Moist meadows : rare. July, Aug. (Nat. from Eu.) 



3. A. aristulatus, Michx. (Wild Water-Foxtail.) Glaucous; 

 culm decumbent below, at length bent and ascending ; palea rather longer than 

 the obtuse glumes, scarcely exceeded by the awn which rises from just beiow its mid- 

 dle ; anthers oblong. y. (A. subaristatus, Pers.) — In water and wet meadows ; 

 common, especially northward. June - August. Spike more slender and paler 

 than in the last. (Eu.) 



4. PHLEUM, L. Cat's-tail Grass. 



Paleae both present, shorter than the mucronatc or awned glumes ; the lower 

 one truncate, usually awnless. Styles distinct. Otherwise much as in Alope- 

 curus. — Spike very dense, harsh. (An ancient Greek name, probably of the 

 Cat-tail.) 



1. P. pratense, L. (Timothy. Herd's-Grass in New England and 

 New York. ) Spike cylindrical, elongated ; glumes ciliate on the back, tipped 

 with a bristle less than half their length. ]\. — Meadows, &c. ; very valuable for 

 hay. (Nat. from Eu.) 



2. P. alpimim, L. Spike ovate-oblong; glumes strongly ciliate-fringed 

 on the back, tipped with a rough awn-like bristle about their own length, y. — 

 Alpine tops of the White Mountains, New Hampshire, and high northward. 

 (Eu.) See Addend. 



5. VILFA, Adans., Beauv. Rush-Grass, 



Spikelets 1-flowered, in a contracted or spiked panicle. Glumes 1-nerved or 

 nerveless, not awned or pointed, the lower smaller. Flower nearly sessile in the 

 glumes. Palea? 2, much alike, of the same texture as the glumes (membrana- 

 ceo-chartaceous) and usually longer than they, naked, neither awned nor mu- 

 cronatc ; the lower 1-nerved (rarely somewhat 3-nerved). Stamens chiefly 3. 

 Stigmas simply feathery. Grain (caryopsis) oblong or cylindrical, deciduous. 

 — Culms wiry or rigid. Leaves involute, usually bearded at the throat ; their 

 6heaths often enclosing the lateral panicle. (Name unexplained.) 



1. V. iispera, Beauv. Root perennial ; tulms tufted (2° -4° high); low- 

 est leaves very long, rigid, rough on the edges, tapering to a long involute and 

 thread-like point ; the upper short, involute ; sheaths partly enclosing the con- 

 tracted panicle ; palea much longer than the unequal glumes ; grain oval or oblong. 

 (Agrostis aspera, Michx. A. clandestina & A. involuta, MM. A. longifolia, 

 Ton.) — Sandy fields and dry hills ; not rare, especially southward. Sept. — 

 Spikelets 2" - 3" long. Palea? rough above, smooth or hairy below, of greatly 

 varying proportions ; the upper one tapering upwards, acute, and one half to 

 twice longer than the lower, or else obtuse and equalled, or even considerably- 

 exceeded, by the lower ! 



2. V. vagisirefldra, Torr. Root annual ; culms slender (6 -12' high), 

 ascending ; leaves involute-awl-shaped (1' - 4' long) ; panicles simple and spiked, 



