GBAMINE.E. (GRASS FAMILY.) 555 



23. LEPTOCHLOA, Beany. (Oxydenia, Nutt.) 



Spikelets 3 - many-flowered (the uppermost flower imperfect), loosely spiked 

 on one side of a long filiform rhachis : the spikes racemed. Glumes membra- 

 naceous, keeled, often awl-pointed, the upper one somewhat larger. Lower pa- 

 lea 3-nerved, with the lateral nerves next the filiate or hairy margins awnless, or 

 bristle-awned at the entire or 2-toothcd tip, larger than the upper. Stamens 2 or 

 3. Seed sometimes loose in the pericarp. — Leaves flat. (Name composed of 

 \€ttt6s, slender, and x^°«> fp-ass, from the long attenuated spikes.) 



§ 1. LEPTOCHLOA Proper. — Lower palea awnless or simply aimed. 



1. JL. Mllicrosiata, Kunth. Sheaths hairy; spikes numerous (20-40, 

 2' -4' in length), in a long panicle-like raceme; spikelets small; glumes more 

 or less mucronate, nearly equalling or exceeding the 3-4 awnless flowers. © 

 — Fields, Virginia to Illinois, and southward. August. 



$2. DIPLACHNE, Beauv. — Lower pah a bristle-aimed from the 2-toothed apex ; 

 the marginal nerves often excurrent into lateral teeth or points. 



2. L.. fasciCHlJiris. Smooth; leaves longer than the genieulatc-decum- 

 bent branching culms ; the upper sheathing the base of the crowded panicle-like 

 raceme, which is composed of many strict spikes (3' - 5' long) ; spikelets slightly 

 pedicelled, 7- 11 -flowered, much longer than the lanceolate glumes; paleae 

 hairy -margined towards the base ; the lower one with 2 small lateral teeth and a 

 short awn in the cleft of the apex. (Festuca fascicularis, Lam. F. polysta- 

 chya, Michx. Diplachne fascicularis, Beauv^ Torr.) — Brackish meadows, 

 from Rhode Island southward along the coast, and from Illinois southward on 

 the Mississippi. Aug. — Makes a direct transition to the next genus. 



24. TRIC1JSPIS, Beauv. (Uralepis & Winds6ria, Nutt.) 



Spikelets 3-12-flowcrcd, somewhat terete; the terminal flower abortive. 

 Glumes unequal. Rhachis of the spikelet bearded below each flower. Paleae 

 membranaceous or somewhat chartaceous ; the lower much larger than the 2- 

 toothed upper one, convex, 2-3-toothed or cleft at the apex, conspicuously 

 hairy-bearded or villous on the 3 strong nerves, of which the lateral are mar- 

 ginal or nearly so and usually excurrent, as is the mid-nerve especially, into a 

 short cusp or awn. Stamens 3. Stigmas dark purple, plumose. Grain ob- 

 loiif, mostlv gibbous. — Leaves taper-pointed: sheaths bearded at the throat. 

 Panicle simple or compound ; the spikelets often racemose, purplish. (Name 

 from the Latin tricuspis, three-pointed, alluding to the lower palea.) 



§ 1. TRICUSPIS Proper. (Windsoria, Nutt.) — Glumes shorter than the 

 crowded flowers: lower palea 3-cuspidate by the projection of the nerves, and usu- 

 ally with 2 intermediate membranaceous teeth; the upper palea naked. 

 1. T. scslerioides, Torr. (Tall Red-top.) Culm upright (3° -5° 

 high), very smooth, as are the flat leaves ; panicle large and compound, the rigid 

 capillary branches spreading, naked below; spikelets very numerous, 5-7-flow- 

 ered, shining, purple (£' long) ; the flowers hairy toward the base. 11 (Poa 

 flava, L. I P. seslerioides, Michx. V. quinquefida, Pursh. Windsoria pose- 



