GRAMINACE.E. 421 



5. PHLEUM. Linn Cat-tail Grass. 



(An ancient Greek name ; supposed however to have been originally applied 

 to a different plant.; 



Glumes 2, much longer than the palese, distinct, equal, boat- 

 shaped, beaked or mucronate. Paleae 2, included in the glumes, 

 awnless, truncate. Panicle spiked, dense, cylindric. 



P. pratense Linn. : culm erect ; spike cylindric ; glumes truncate, mucro- 

 nate, with a ciliate keel ; awn shorter than the glume. 



Fields. N. S. June Aug. 1\. Culm 23 feet high, simple, smooth. 

 Leaves flat, smooth and glaucous. Spike long, cylindric, green. Introduced 

 from Europe. Timothy. Herd's-grass. 



&. PHALARIS Linn. Canary Grass. 



(From the Greek ^>aXos, shining ; in allusion to the smooth and polished paleae.; 

 Spikelets 3 -flowered ; the two inferior flowers scale-like and 

 minute ; upper flowers perfect. Glumes 2, nearly equal, mem- 

 branaceous, gibbous on the back, keeled, awnless. Paleae 2, 

 coriaceous, shorter than the glumes, awnless ; upper one sur- 

 rounded by the lower. Panicle dense and spike-like. 



1. P. arundinacea Linn.: panicle ovoid, spiked; glumes boat-shaped, 

 serrulate ; palese unequal ; abortive flowers hairy. Calamagrostis colorata 

 Nutt. 



Swamps. Can. to Car. J.uly, Aug. 7].. Culm 2 5 feet high, erect, a little 

 branching. Leaves deep green, lanceolate. Panicle 24 inches long, at length 

 a little spreading. The Ribbon-grass, sometimes cultivated in gardens, is a 

 variety of this species. Reed Canary-grass. 



2. P. Canariensis Linn. : panicle spike-like, oval ; glumes boat-shaped, 

 entire at the apex ; abortive flowers smooth. 



In pastures and wet places, N. Y. July. (T). Culm a foot and a half high, 

 simple. Leaves broad-linear, pale green. Glumes twice the length of the paleae, 

 yellowish-green. Introduced from Europe. Common Canary-grass. 



7. HOLCUS. Linn. Soft Grass. 



(From the Greek 6\Kos , derived from *Xu), to extract ; because of its supposed 

 virtue in drawing out thorns from the flesh.) 



Spikelets 2-flowered, polygamous. Glumes herbaceous, 

 somewhat boat-shaped, mucronate. Lower flower perfect, awn- 

 less ; upper one staminate or neutral, pedicillate ; the lower 

 palea awned on the back. Panicle more or less contracted. 



H. lanalus Linn. : panicle oblong, rather contracted ; flowers shorter than 

 the glumes, the upper one with a recurved awn. 



Wet meadows. N. Y. Mass, and Penn. W. to Mich. July. %. Plant 

 covered with a soft whitish pubescence. Root fibrous. Culm 18 inches high, 

 Leaves 2 5 inches long, flat. Panicle somewhat dense. Glumes pubescent, 

 whitish or tinged with purple. A grass of little or no vaJue. Introduced from 

 Europe. Meadow Soft-gravs. White Timothy. 



