496 Key to the System of 



Panicle much contracted. 



Seldom tall ; leaves rather long, hardly rigid, almost flat, 

 gradually pointed ; panicle rather short, in its lower 

 portion often somewhat interrupted, mostly pale ; spike- 

 lets much compressed ; fruit-supporting bract finely two- 

 Eointed, emitting a short somewhat bent and rough awn 

 rom near the summit ; rhacheolar extension seldom 

 bract-bearing. A. subspicata. 



UISTICHLIS. 



2091. Leaves short, almost in two rows, somewhat pun- 

 gent. 



Chiefly a coast-plant, prostrate, forming ample patches ; 

 stems and branches leafy up to the inflorescence ; leaves 

 rigid, narrow, incurved along the margin ; spikelets few, 

 soon dull-yellowish, much compressed, lanceolar-ellipti- 

 cal ; flowers several or sometimes many, closely approxi- 

 mated ; bracts simply or hardly acute ; those supporting 

 the stamens or the fruit several-streaked. 



D. maritima. 



AGROPYRON. 



2092. Fruit-supporting bract shorter than its awn. 



Rather tall, somewhat harsh ; leaves chiefly scattered along 

 the stem ; narrow, flat or incurved along the margin ; 

 spikelets elongated, almost appressed, alternating, often 

 somewhat distant ; flowers several or occasionally many ; 

 fruit-supporting bracts narrow, gradually passing into the 

 straight or slightly spreading awn. A. scabrum. 



Fruit-supporting bract longer than its awn . ... 2093 



2093. Spikelets almost appressed, beset with very short 



hairlets. 



Rather dwarf ; leaves chiefly near the base of the stem, flat 

 or incurved along the margin ; spike comparatively short ; 

 spikelets rather crowded ; flowers few or several ; fruit- 

 supporting bracts pungent. A. velu.ti.nuni. 



Spikelets very spreading, almost glabrous. 



Rather dwarf ; leaves chiefly near the base of the stem, flat 

 or incurved along the margin ; spike comparatively short ; 

 spikelets rather crowded ; flowers few or several ; fruit- 

 supporting bract narrow, pungent. 



A. pectinatum. 



