GRAMINE.E. (GRASS FAMILY.) 883 



3. B. maxima, L. .3 to .4; culms geuiculate, Fig. 407. 

 ascendino-. Leaves broad-linear. Panicle nearly simple, 

 somewhat one-sided, .04 to .1 long, .035 to .06 broad, nod- 

 ding at apex, with slender, wavy branches. Spikelets 

 large, ovate to ovate-oblong or oblong, pendulous, .008 

 to .02 long, .005 to .01 broad, 7-17-flowered, straw-colored 

 or reddish — Spnng — Grassy places, as high as middle 

 mountain region ; common. A most beautiful grass. 



Tl. SCHISMUS, P. de B. ScHISMUS. ' Spikeletof Briza 



Spikelets 6-7-flowered, laterally compressed, the maxima, 

 flowerets perfect; axis jointed, brittle. Glumes much longer than the 

 lowest floweret, herbaceous, scarious-margined, lanceolate, nearly equal, 

 the lower broader, 5-7-nerved, the upper 3-nerved. Lower pale obo- 

 vate, concave, oo -nerved, scarious-margined, 2-lobed, muticous or with 

 a short awn at sinus ; upper pale as long or shorter, oblong-spathulate, 

 entire, 2-keeled below — Tufted annuals; leaves at length convolute- 

 subulate, spikelets in an oblong spike, which (in ours) is .015 to .03 

 long, acutish at both ends. 



1, S. calycinns, L. Q Behmeh. Safsuf. .1 to .15. Pedicels 

 one-half to one-third as long as spikelets; glumes acute; lower pale 

 short-hairy at margin or all over back, or 7'arely glabrous ; lobes obtuse, 

 one-fifth as long as pale ; awn short or ; upper pale nearly as long as 

 lower — Spring — Sinai ; Jordan Valley ; Ccelesyria ; Palmyrene Desert 



2. S. Aral)icu§, Kees. Abu-Machi. .1 to .3. Pedicels one - 

 half to oue-fourth as long as spikelets ; glumes acuminate ; lower pale 

 silky hirsute, Ufid to one-third or one-half its length, lobes^ acute; fiwn 

 obsolete; upper pale two-thirds as long as lower — Spring ~ Sandy 

 places ; Sinai ; Jordan Valley ; Damascus ; Aleppo. 



72. POA, L. Meadow Grass. Spear Grass. 

 Spikelets pedicelled, laterally compressed, 3- co -flowered, the 

 flowerets perfect. Glumes keeled, shorter than flowerets, nearly equal 

 or the lower smaller. Lower pale 3-keeled, 3-lobed, at length decidu- 

 ous with the upper pale — Annuals or perennials, the spikelets m a 

 more or less open panicle. 



* Lower pale ^-nemed. 



t Lateral nerves of lower pale prominent. 



X Lower pale glabrous ; tufUd alpine and sulalpine perennials. 



1. P. diversifolia, Boiss. et Bal. 1i .3 to .6. Leaves of sterile 

 clusters with a dilated sheath, slender, involute, .06 to .15 long; cau- 

 line leaves broader and flatter. Panicle erect, .05 to .1 long, .00? to 

 .03 broad; spikelets 3-5-flowered, .005 to .007 long, green or reddish; 

 glumes lanceolate, acute, the lower 1-nerved, the upper longer, 6- 

 nerved, nearly as long as lower flowerets ; lower pale lanceolate, gla- 

 brous, scabridulous, keeled, obtuse— May to August — Subalpine and 

 alpine Lebanon. 



Var. crassipes, Hackel. Base of culms bulbons-dflated. Leaves 

 nearly alike. Panicle narrow. Branches and spikelets few. 

 X Loicer pale usually silhy-hairy at Jceel and margins. 



2. P. annua, L. 0(2) Low Spear Grass. .1 to .35, tufted; 



