GiRAMINACE^E. 433 



twice the length of the lower ; pale nearly equal, pointless, a little shorter 

 than the upper glume. ( Torr. N. Y. F/.) 



On rocks. Watertown, Jefierson County, N. Y. W. to Ohio. %.Culm 

 1 2 feet high, smooth. Leaves convolute-setaceous, the lower ones equalling 

 the culm, the upper shorter. Panicle spreading or somewhat contracted, pur- 

 plish. It is said to emit a strong odor, resembling that of Poa Eragrostis. 



Strong-scented Vilfa. 



5. V. cryptandra Torr. . panicle pyramidal, the base usually enclosed in 

 the upper sheath, with spreading mostly alternate branches, which are hairy 

 on the axils ; spikelets racemose ; flowers awnless ; lower glume very short ; 

 the upper one as long as the nearly equal lanceolate acute palese. ( Torr. 

 N. Y. FL) 



Sandy soils. N. Y. and Mass. W. to the Rocky Mountains. Aug. Tj.. 

 Culm li 3 feet high, leafy, smooth. Leaves short, smooth ; the sheaths densely 

 bearded at the throat. Panicle large, bluish. 



Large-panided Vilfa. 



22. POLYPOGON. Desf. Beard Grass. 



(From the Greek TroXvj, many, and ituyut, a beard ; in reference to the unusual 

 number of awns.) 



Glumes 2-valved, 1 -flowered; valves membranaceous, awned. 

 Faleae 2 ; the lower one with a long awn ; the upper one bifid, 

 toothed. Panicle spike-form. 



1 . P. glomeralus Wiltd. : panicle dense, oblong, interrupted below ; 

 glumes linear, acuminate, nearly equal, armed with a long rough bristle ; 

 palese unarmed, hairy at base. P. racemosus Nutt. Muhlenbergia glome- 

 rata Trin. 



Bogs and swamps. Mass. andN. Y. W. to Miss. Aug., Sept. %. Culm 3 4 

 feet high, a little compressed, simple or sparingly branched above. Leaves sca- 

 brous and somewhat glaucous. Panicle crowded and spike-like, the lower flowers 

 remote. Close-flowered Beard-grass. 



2. P. sericeus Spreng. : leaves convolute-filiform, smooth ; panicle diffuse, 

 capillary, very slender ; pedicels longer than the awns ; awns 3 4 times 

 as long as the palese. Trichochloa capillaris D. C. Stipa sericea Mich. 

 Agrostis sericea Muhl. 



Sandy fields. Mass, to Car. June, July. 7J.. Culms 2 feet high, cespitose, 

 Very slender. Panicle 8 10 inches long, glossy and purple. 



Silky Beard-grass. 



VI. ARUNDINE^E. Spikelels either 1-flowered, with or without an 

 abortive pedicel, or many-flowered. Flowers usually with long soft hairs 



at the base. Glumes and palea 2, membranaceously herbaceous. 

 \ 



23. CALAMAGROSTIS. Addns. Small Reed. 

 (From the Greek *aAa//o?, a reed, and Agrostis, a genus of grasses.) 

 Spikelets 1-flowered. Glumes 2, nearly equal, acute or acu- 

 minate. Palese 2, mostly shorter than the glumes, surrounded 

 with hairs at the base ; lower one mucronate, mostly awned be- 



19 



