GKAMINE-K. (GRASS FAMILY.) 575 



(P. Americana Torr., not of Ell. Digraphis arundinacca, Trin.) — Wet grounds ; 

 very common northward. July. — Culm 2° -4° high. Leaves 3" -5" wide. — 

 The Ribbon-Grass of the gardens is a state of this species, with variegated 

 leaves. (Eu.) 



2. P. Canariensis, L. (Canary-Grass.) Panicle spiked, oval ; glumes 

 wing-keeled ; rudimentary flowers smooth, half the length of the perfect one. (J) — 

 Waste places, New York and New England : sparingly cultivated. July -Sept. 

 — It yields the Canary-seed. (Adv. from Eu.) 



56. MILIUM, Millet-Grass. 



Spikclets diffusely panicled, not jointed with their pedicels, apparently con- 

 sisting of 2 equal membranaceous convex and awnlcss glumes, including a sin- 

 gle coriaceous awnless flower : but theoretically the lower glume is wanting, 

 while an empty single palea of the lower (neutral) flower, resembling the upper 

 glume, fulfils its office, and stands opposite the narrow upper palea of the terete 

 fertile flower. Stamens 3. Stigmas branched-plumose. Grain not grooved, 

 enclosed in the palea?, all deciduous together. (The ancient Latin name of the 

 Millet (which however belongs to a different genus), probably from mille, a thou- 

 sand, because of its fertility.) 



1. M. effnsiam, L. Smooth (3°- G° high) ; leaves broad and flat, thin , 

 panicle spreading (6' -9' long) ; flower ovoid-oblong. y. — Cold woods ; com- 

 mon northward. June. (Eu.) 



M. AMPHICAHPUM, Kunth. (Milium, Pursh.) 



Spikclets jointed with the apex of the pedicels, apparently 1-flowered, of two 

 kinds ; one kind in a strict terminal panicle, like those of Milium, except that 

 the rudiment of the lower glume is ordinarily discernible, quite deciduous from 

 the joint, commonly without ripening fruit, although the flower is perfect: the 

 other kind solitary at the extremity of slender runner-like radical peduncles 

 (which are more or less sheathed towards the base), much larger than the 

 others, perfect and fertile, subterranean ; the enwrapping glume and similar 

 empty palea many-nerved. Flower oblong or ovoid, pointed. Stamens 3 (small 

 in the radical flowers). Stigmas plumose, deep purple. Grain ovoid, terete, 

 not grooved, in the radical flowers very large (2" -3" long), the embryo next 

 the lower palea. Neutral palea somewhat exceeding the glume and the fertile 

 flower. — Leaves lanceolate, flat, copious on the lower part of the culm, clothed 

 like the sheaths with spreading bristly hairs (Name from a^Uapiros, doubly 

 f?nit-bearing.) 



1- A. Piirsllii, Kunth. (Milium amphicarpon, Pursh.) — Moist sandy 

 pine barrens, New Jersey. Sept. 



5§. PASPALUM, L. Paspalum. 



Spikelets spiked or someAvhat raccmed in 2 - 4 rows on one side of a flattened 

 or filiform continuous rhachis, jointed with their very short pedicels, plano- 

 convex, awnless, apparently only one-flowered, as in Milium; but, on the other 



