GRAMINEAE (GRASS FAMILY) 



131 



panicle exserted, 2-4 cm. long; spikelets 4 mm. long; the acuminate glumes 

 usually subequal, nearly as long as the acuminate scabrous minutely oppressed- 

 pubescent lemma, which is exceeded by the sharp-pointed palea. Sterile fields 

 and waste places, s. Me. to S. Dak., and south w. Sept. 



7. S. neglectus Nash. Similar to the preceding, usually more slender ; the 

 panicles smaller, more completely inclosed; spikelets 2.6-3 mm. long; glumes, 

 lemma, and palea all subequal, acute, thinner in texture, glabrous, white 

 and shining. Sterile or sandy soil, N. B. to S. Dak., s. to Va. 



and Tex. FIG. 98. 



8. S. fNDicos (L.) R. Br. (SMUT GRASS.) Tufted culms 

 3-10 dm. high, erect, wiry ; leaves 10-30 cm. in length, long- 

 attenuate; panicle $-^ the entire height of the plant; spikelets 

 2 mm. long, shining, crowded on the slender erect branches; 

 glumes obtuse, unequal, the second ^ as long as the acuminate 

 lemma which is slightly longer than the obtuse palea. Waste 

 ground and fields, Va. to Ark., and southw. Aug., Sept. 

 Panicle frequently affected with a black fungus, hence the com- 

 mon name. ("Nat. from trop. regions.) 



9. S. virginicus (L.) Kunth. Glabrous; culms erect, 1.5-5 dm. high; 

 sheaths overlapping; blades firm, involute, conspicuously distichous on the nu- 

 merous sterile shoots ; panicles exserted, 3-6 cm. long ; spikelets 3 mm. long ; the 



glumes unequal, the second exceeding the glabrous floret. 

 Sandy shores, Va. to Fla. Aug., Sept. (Trop. regions.) 



10. S. cryptandrus (Torr.) Gray. Tufted, 4-7 dm. high; 

 culms rather stout, erect or somewhat spreading ; sheaths over- 

 lapping, ciliat* on the margin and conspicuously bearded at the 

 throat; blades 6-12 dm. long, 3-5 mm. wide, flat, scabrous; 

 panicle lead-colored, usually open, 12-20 cm. long, included at 

 base in the upper sheath, or sometimes contracted and wholly 

 j nc i u d e d ; spikelets 2-2.5 mm. long ; first glume about $ as long 



tne secon( i ; lemma acute, longer than the palea. Sandy 



98. S. neglectus. 

 Spikelets x 4. 



99. S. cryptandms. 

 Open spikelet with 



glumes detached goili espe ci a lly on the coast and about the Great Lakes, N. E. to 

 Minn., s. to Pa. and Tex. Aug., Sept. (Mex.) FIG. 99. 



11. S. jiinceus (Michx. ) Kunth. Tufted, glabrous, 4-7 dm. high; culms 

 wiry, erect, leafy at the base, naked above ; the involute-setaceous basal leaves 

 12-24 cm. long, spreading ; panicle purplish or chestnut, the short verticillate 

 branches spreading ; spikelets 3 mm. long ; first glume about Jthe 



length of the second, which is as long as the glabrous subacute -tCi 



equal lemma and palea. (S. gracilis Merr. ; S. ejuncidus Nash.) W) 



Dry sandy soil, Va. to Fla., w. to Tex. Aug. FIG. 100. T 



12. S. heter61epis Gray. Tufted, 6-9 dm. high ; culms rather 1QO g i nnceug 

 stout, wiry, erect ; basal leaves about J- as long as the culm, gpikeiet x 3 

 involute-setaceous ; panicles long-exserted, 7-25 cm. long, branches 

 ascending; spikelets 4-6 mm. long; first glume about ^ | the length of the 

 floret, the second acuminate, often cuspidate (varying in length in the same 



panicle), exceeding the glabrous obtuse or subacute equal 



/m lemma and palea ; grain very large, pericarp shining, indu- 



\[j\ rated, splitting the palea. Dry soil and prairies, w. Que. to 



If] Man., s. to Ct., Pa., Mo. and Tex. Aug., Sept. Strong- 



flf scented. FIG. 101. 



13. S. compre'ssus (Torr.) Kunth. Perennial from short 

 scaly rootstocks, flattened at base ; culms 3-6 dm. high, leafy 

 to the top ; the sheaths overlapping ; leaves conduplicate ; 

 panicle J-$ the length of the entire plant, loosely flowered ; 

 spikelets 2 mm. long; the acute glumes shorter than the striate scabrous lemma 

 which equals the palea. (S. Torreyanus Nash.) Bogs in pine 

 barrens, L. I. and N. J. Sept. Spikelets rarely 2-flowered. A 



14. S. uniflbrus (Muhl.) Scribn. & Merr. Rootstocks very 

 slender ; culms delicate, tufted, erect, 24 dm. high ; leaves 102. s. uniflorus. 

 1-2 mm. wide; panicle J-J the length of the culm, loosely Spikelet x 8. 



101. S. heterolepis. 

 Spikelet x 3. 



