GRAMINE^E. (GRASS FAMILY.) 513 



from the base; panicle very simple and raceme-like, few-flowered; awn 2-8 

 times the length of the rather hairy wJiitisJi palece. (Uraclme, Trin.) — Hill-sides, 

 &c, in rich woods ; common northward. May. — Leaves concave, keelless, 

 rough-edged, pale underneath, lasting through the winter. Squamulae lanceo- 

 late, almost as long as the inner palea ! 



3. O. Canadensis, Torr. Culms slender (6'-15' high), the lowest 

 sheaths leaf-bearing; leaves involute-thread-shaped; panicle contracted (l'-2' 

 long), the branches usually in pairs ; palea; pubescent, whitish ; awn short and 

 very deciduous, or wanting. (0. parviflora, Nutt. Stipa juncea, Michx. S. Can- 

 adensis, Pair. Milium pungens, Torr. Uraclme brevicaudata, Trin.) — Eocky 

 hills and dry plains, W. New England to Wisconsin, and northward; rare. 

 May. — Glumes l"-2" long, sometimes purplish. — Through the species, or 

 perhaps variety, Urachne micrantha, Trin., this genus is strictly connected with 

 Stipa. 



14. STIPA, L. Feather-Grass. 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, terete : the flower falling away at maturity, with the con- 

 spicuous obconical bearded and often sharp-pointed stalk (callus), from the mem- 

 branaceous glumes. Lower palea coriaceous, cylindrical-involute, closely em- 

 bracing the smaller upper one and the cylindrical grain, having a long and 

 twisted or tortuous simple awn jointed with its apex (naked in our species). 

 Stamens mostly 3. Stigmas plumose. — Perennials, with narrow involute leaves 

 and a loose panicle. (Name from trrvirn, tow, in allusion to the flaxen appear- 

 ance of the feathery awns of the original species.) 



* Callus or base of the flower short and blunt ; glumes pointless. 



1. S. RscSiardsdnii, Link. Culm (U°-2°high) and leaves slender ; 

 panicle loose (4' -5' long), with slender few-flowered brandies; glumes nearly 

 equal, oblong, acutish (2|" long), about equalling the pubescent linear-oblong 

 lower palea, which hears a tortuous or geniculate awn 6" - 8" long. — Pleasant 

 Mountain, near Sebago Lake, Maine, C. J. Sprague : and northwestward. 

 (Flowers rather smaller than in Eichardson's plant, as described by Trinius 

 and Euprecht.) 



# * Callus or base of the flower pungently pointed : at maturity villous-bearded : lower 

 palea slender and minutely bearded at the tip : glumes taper-pointed. 



2. S. avenacea, L. (Black Oat-Grass.) Culm slender (l°-2° 

 high) ; leaves almost bristle-form ; panicle open ; palece blackish, nearly as long as 

 the almost equal glumes (about 4" long), the awn bent above, twisted below (2'- 

 3' long). — Dry or sandy woods, S. New England to Wisconsin, and (chiefly) 

 southward. July. 



3. S. spfartea, Trin., not of Hook. (Porcupine Grass.) Culm rather 

 6tout (H°-3° high) ; panicle contracted; palea: linear, |'-1' long (including the 

 long callus), pubescent below, shorter than the lanceolate slender subulate-pointed 

 greenish glumes ; the twisted strong awn 3j'-7' long, pubescent below, rough 

 above. (S. juncea, Pursh?) — Plains and prairies, from Illinois and N Michi- 

 gan northwestward. 



