GRAMINE^E. (GRASS FAMILY.) 565 



Spikelets in close clusters at the end of the short branches, 2 - 4-flowered. 

 Glumes and flowers lanceolate. 



34. FESTUCA, L. FESCUE-GRASS. 



Grasses with flat or setaceous leaves, and panicled 3 - many-flowered mostly 

 awned spikelets. Rachis jointed as in Glyceria. Glumes unequal, mostly keeled. 

 Palea3 nearly coriaceous ; the lower one naked, rounded on the back, 3 5-nerved, 

 acute or bristle-awned ; the upper commonly adhering at maturity to the enclosed 

 strain. Stamens 1 -3. 



* Flowers awned: panicle contracted: annuals. 



1. F. Myurus, L. Culms erect, very slender, concealed in the sheaths of 

 the bristle-like leaves ; panicle elongated, linear, 1-sided, partly included in the 

 sheath of the uppermost leaf, the scattered branches appressed ; spikelets com- 

 pressed, 6-flowered ; awn 3 4 times the length of the subulate sparsely hairy 

 palea. Stamen 1 . Dry sandy soil, Florida to North Carolina. March and 

 April. Culms 6' - 12' high. Panicle pale, 4' - 6' long. 



2. F. tenella, Willd. Culms (2' -12' high) erect or ascending; leaves 

 narrowly linear or filiform ; panicle long-peduncled, simple, spiked, or the 

 branches slightly spreading, mostly purple ; spikelets crowded, compressed, 

 oblong, 8- 12-flowered ; awn not longer than the subulate hispid palea. Dry 

 sandy soil, Florida, and northward. Feb. - April. 



3. F. duriuscula, L. Culms erect, l-l high; leaves filiform; panicle 

 simple, 1-sided, mostly bending, spreading ; spikelets oblong, about 6-flowered , 

 awn shorter than the smooth lanceolate palea. Around dwellings, Florida, and 

 northward. Introduced. April - May. 



4. F. parviflora, Ell. " Panicle equal, slender, appressed ; spikelets 

 terete, subulate, 5-flowered, awned; calyx (glumes) unawned." Ell. Near 

 Orangeburg, South Carolina. April. 1J. ? Culms 12' -18' high. Awn as 

 long as the palea. ( * ) 



* * Flowers aimless : panicle spreading : perennials. 



5. F. elatior, L. Culms l-2 high; leaves linear, smooth; panicle long, 

 narrow, erect, the erect branches bearing the loosely 5- 10-flowered spikelets 

 throughout; palea oblong-lanceolate, barely pointed. North Carolina, and 

 northward. Introduced. 



6. F. nutans, Willd. Culms 2 -4 high, and, like the broadly linear 

 leaves, rough, or the latter hairy ; panicle 1 -sided, simple, erect or bending, the 

 branches mostly by pairs, remote, bearing few ovate 5 - 6-flowered spikelets near 

 their summits, at length reflexed ; glumes rough on the back, acute ; lower palea 

 ovate, barely pointed. Rich woods and banks, Florida, and northward. Aug. 



7. F. grandiflora, Lam. " Panicle simple, erect ; spikelets very few, 

 generally 7-flowered ; flowers acute, distant." Carolina, Frazer. ( * ) 



8. F. unioloides, Willd. Panicle contracted ; spikelets compressed, 8-flow- 

 ered, awnless ; sheaths of the leaves bearded at the summit. Carolina, Willd. 

 Panicle nodding, expanding. Spikes oblong-lanceolate. Root fibrous. ( } 



48 



