GRAMINE^E. (GRASS FAMILY.) 627 



75. Elymus. Spikelets 1 - several-flowered, all perfect and similar. 



76. Asprella. Spikelets few-flowered, somewhat pedicelled, 1-3 at each joint Glumes 



none or small and deciduous. 



Tribe XI. BAMBUSEJE. Tall woody reeds, the flat leaves with a short petiole jointed 

 upon the sheath. Spikelets few- many-flowered, flattened, in panicles or racemes. 



77. Arundinaria. Flowering glumes rounded on the back, many-nerved, acuminate or 



bristle-pointed ; empty glumes very small. 



1. SPARTINA, Schreber. CORD or MARSH GRASS. (PI. 9.) 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, very much flattened laterally, jointed and sessile in 2 

 ranks on the outer side of a triangular rhachis. Glumes 3, unequal, lanceo- 

 late, strongly compressed-keeled, acute or bristle-pointed, mostly rough-bristly 

 on the keel ; palet thin, equalling or longer than the flowering glume. Stamens 

 3. Styles long, more or less united. Perennials, with simple and rigid often 

 reed-like culms, from extensively creeping scaly rootstocks, racemed spikes, 

 very smooth sheaths, and long tough leaves (whence the name, from ffiraprlvri, 

 a cord, such as was made from the bark of the Spartium or Broom). 



* Spikelets compactly imbricated very rough-hispid on the keels; spikes (2-4' 



lony) more or less peduncled ; culm and elongated leaves rigid. 



1. S. cynosuroides, Willd. (FRESH- WATER CORD-GRASS.) Culm rather 

 slender (2-6 high) leaccs narrow (2-4 long, $' wide below or less), taper- 

 ing to a very slender point, keeled, flat, but quickly involute in drying, smooth 

 except the margins ; spikes 5 - 20, scattered, spreading ; rhachis rough on the 

 margins ; glumes aivn-pointed, especially the middle one (its awn about ' long), 

 strongly serrulate-hispid on the keel, the lower equalling the upper, whose strong 

 midrib abruptly terminates below the membranous apex. Banks of rivers 

 and lakes, or in rich soil, especially northward. Aug. 



2. S. polystachya, Willd. (SALT REED-GRASS.) Culm tall and stout 

 (4 - 9 high, often V in diameter near the base) ; leaves broad (^ - 1'), roughish 

 underneath, as well as the margins ; spikes 20 - 50, forming a dense oblong ra- 

 ceme (purplish) ; glumes barely mucronate , the lower half the length of the flower- 

 ing one, of which the rough-hispid midrib reaches to the apex. Salt or 

 brackish marshes, within tide-water, especially southward. 



3. S. j line 6 a, Willd. (Rusn SALT-GRASS.) Culms low (1 -2 high) and 

 slender ; leaves narrow and rush-like, strongly involute, very smooth ; spikes 1-5, 

 on very short peduncles, the rhachis smooth ; glumes acute, the lower scarcely 

 half the length of the middle one, not half the length of the upper. Salt 

 marshes and sea-beaches. Aug. (Eu.) 



* * Spikelets loosely imbricated, or someu'hat remote and alternate, the keels onl>/ 



slightly hairy or roughish under a lens ; spikes sessile and erect, soft ; leaves, 

 rhachis, etc., very smooth; culm rather succulent. 



4. S. Stricta, Roth. (SALT MARSH-GRASS.) (PI. 9, fig. 1-3.) Culm 

 1-4 high, leafy to the top ; leaves soon convolute, narrow ; spikes few (2 - 4), 

 the rhachis slightly projecting beyond the crowded or imbricated spikelets ; 

 glumes acute, very unequal, the larger 1-nerved, a little longer than the 

 flower. Salt marshes, Penn., etc. Odor strong and rancid. (Eu.) 



Var. glabra, Gray. Culm and leaves longer ; spikes 5-12 (2-3' long); 

 spikelets imbricate-crowded. Common on the coast. 



