QRAMINEAE (GRASS FAMILY) 



137 



113. (.'. ariniflinacea. 

 Spikelets x -> j. 



1.5-3 dm. long, the slender branches ascending, somewhat contracted after 

 ftiiir, rini/; tpikelets "> mm. long; glumes scabrous, unequal, the second as long 

 as the scabrous lemma which bears a minute awn or is 

 sometimes awnless; palea \-nerved. Moist woods and 

 shaded swamps ; N. S. to Out. and south w. Aug., Sept. 

 Fi<;. 113. 



2. C. latifdlia (Trev.) Griseb. Similar to the preced- 

 ing ; blades 1.5-2.5 dm. long, 1-1.6 cm. wide, rarely nar- 

 rower, scabrous; panicle 1.5-3.5 dm. long, the flexuous 

 capillary branches spreading or drooping; spikelets 4 mm. 

 long; glumes scabrous, subequal, and about equaling the 

 scabrous short-awned lemma ; palea 2-nerved, the nerves 



close together. (C. pendula Trin.) Damp woods, Nfd. to B. C., s. to N. E., 

 N. Y., the Great Lake region, and westw.; also on mts. of N. C. (Eu.) 



39. AIRA L. HAIR GRASS 



Spikelets 2-flowered, both flowers perfect ; glumes thin, somewhat scarious, 

 subequal, acute, awnless, longer than the approximate florets ; lemmas bidentate, 

 awned on the back or the lower awnless ; palea a little shorter than the lemma ; 

 grain included in the slightly indurated lemma and palea, and usually adherent 

 to them. Delicate annuals. (An ancient Greek name for Darnel.) 



1. A. CARYOPHYLLEA L. Culms solitary or few, slender, erect, 8-30 cm. high ; 

 blades short, setaceous ; panicle open, the silvery shining spikelets clustered 

 toward the ends of the spreading capillary branches, 3 mm. 

 long, nearly as broad ; lemma of both florets with a geniculate 

 awn 3-4 mm. long from below the middle, the teeth of the apex 

 setaceous. Waste places, Nantucket to O., and south w. 

 June. (Nat. from Eu.) FIG. 114. 



2. A. CAPILLARIS Host. Similar to the preceding ; panicle 

 ea ' more diffuse ; spikelets scattered at the ends of the branches, 

 2.5 mm. long ; lemma of lower floret awnless or with a minute 

 awn just below the apex, the teeth of which are short ; lemma 

 of upper floret bearing a geniculate awn 3 mm. long from below the middle, teeth 

 of apex setaceous. On the coast, Va., and south w. May, June. (Nat. from Eu.) 



3. A. PRAECOX L. Culms tufted, 0.5-20 cm. high, slender, erect or lower 

 nodes geniculate ; sheaths slightly inflated ; blades setaceous ; panicle narrow 

 and dense, the short branches erect, 1-3 cm. long ; spikelets yellowish, shining, 

 3.5-4 mm. long ; lemmas of both florets bidentate at apex, and bearing a genicu- 

 late awn 2-4 mm. long from below the middle, the awn of lower floret shorter 

 than that of the upper. Sandy fields, N. J. and Del. to Va. May-July. (Nat. 

 from Eu.) 



40. H6LCUS L. 



Spikelets 2-flowered, articulated below the glumes ; the lower floret perfect, 

 raised on a curved stipe, awnless ; the upper floret staminate (rarely perfect), 

 its lemma bearing a dorsal awn from below the apex ; glumes 

 thin, subequal, compressed, boat-shaped, longer than the 

 florets ; lemmas somewhat indurated, boat-shaped ; paleas 

 thin, nearly as long as the lemmas. Perennials with flat 

 leaves and densely flowered terminal panicles. (A name used 

 by Pliny for a kind of grass, from 6X6s, attractive.) 



H. LANXxcs L. (VELVET GRASS.) Entire plant grayish, 

 velvety-pubescent ; culms erect, 3-6 dm. high ; leaves 15 cm. 

 long or less, rarely longer, 5-10 mm. wide ; panicle purplish, 

 5-10 cm. long, narrow ; spikelets 4 mm. long, nearly as broad ; 

 glumes villous, hirsute on the nerves, the second broader than , -J*' Ol , 



the first, 3-nerved ; lemmas ciliate at the apex ; awn of second 

 floret hooklike. Moist meadows, N. S. to 111., and south w. June, July. 

 (Nat. from Eu.) FIG. 116. 



Spikelet x 3. 

 Flower x 4%. 



115. H. lanatus. 



