GRAMINEAE 361 



| ft Glumes and paleae not bristle-pointed ; florets turrounded by a tuft of hairt at 

 base. 



415. CALAJIAGROS'TIS, Adanson. 



[Or. Kalamos, a Reed, and Agrostis ; from its afllnity to both.] 

 Spikelets in an open, or contracted (sometimes spiked), panicle, 

 each with a rudimentary pedicel of an abortive second floret. Glumes 

 nearly equal, keeled, acute, longer than the floret, which is invested 

 at base by, a tuft of white hairs. Lower palea mostly awned on the 

 back, the upper shorter, with the rudimentary pedicel, at its base, 

 often pencil-tufted. Stamens 3. Perennials: culms simple, rigid, 

 and rather tall. 



1. C. COarctata, Torrey. Panicle densely contracted and some- 

 what spikeform, glaucous; lower palea shorter than the glumes, 

 with a rigid awn above the middle. 

 CONDENSED CALAMAGRGSTIS. 



Culm 2 to 4 or 5 feet high, erect. Leaves 6 to 12 inches long, somewhat hairy 

 and rough, with white keel and nerves. Panicle, terminal, ohlong, stiffly erect ; 

 branches short, aggregated ; glumes with a subulate acumination, the margins 

 often purple. 

 Hob. Moist woods, and thickets : frequent. Fl. Ang. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. The C. Canadensis, Beauv. may perhaps be regarded as a 

 doubtful Chester County plant; and I therefore omit it, for the 

 present. 



C STI N PEAE: Inflorescence racemose) or panicled; spikelets usually 

 rather large; paleae coriaceous, mostly shorter than the glumes, 1- to 

 3-awned at apex ; scales mostly 3. 



476. ARIS'TIDA, L. 



[Latin, Arista, an awn, or beard ; characteristic of the genus.] 

 Glumes unequal, membranaceous, often cuspidate. Florets stipitate. 

 Paleae mostly 2, the lower one involute, 3-awned at apex, the 

 upper one much smaller, or obsolete. Stamens mostly 3 ; filaments 

 adnate at base to the stipe of the ovary. Scales 2. Culms wiry, 

 branching ; leaves narrow, often involute ; panicle racemose. 



4S?* Awns distinct, and not articulated with the palea, the middle one bent back~ 

 ward, and sometimes contorted. 



1. A. dichotoma, MX. Culms oblique, somewhat dichotom- 

 ously branched; lateral awns minute, the middle one about ao 

 long as the palea, and contorted. 



FORKED ARISTIDA. Poverty-Grass. 



Annual t Culms 9 to 15 inches long, oblique or decumbent, geniculate, smooth. 

 Leaves 2 to 8 inches long, flat, with setaceous points : sheaths very short, open, 

 hairy at throat. Spikelets elongated, slender, on clavate peduncles. 

 Hob. Dry, slaty hills: frequent. FL Aug. Fr. Sept. 



2. A.grracili, Ell. Culms erect, branched at base, very slender; 

 lateral awns as long as the palea, the middle one twice as long, 

 bent back but not contorted. 



A. stricta. Fl. Cestr. ed. 2. p. 53. 

 SLENDER ARISTIDA. Poverty-grass, 



