884 GRAMINE^. (GRASS FAMILY.) 



root fibrous; culms flaccid, somewhat decumbent 

 rooting or stoloniferous at base. Leaves flaccid, linear, flat. Panicle 

 somewhat one-sided, .03 to .05 long, .02 to .04 broad, loose, branches 

 solitary or twin, spreading or reflexed ; spikelets ovate to oblong, 3-5- 

 fiowered, .002 to .003 long, green or variegated with violet; glumes 

 unequal, oblong-lanceolate, acutish or obtuse, keel smooth ; lower pale 

 rather obtuse, scarious-margined, glabrous, or pubescent-sericeous at 

 margins and keel — All the year — Fields and roadsides ; common. 



2. P. i>rateii§is, L. If .8 to .4; root-stock creeping by long 

 stolons ; culms erect, terete. Leaves linear, flat, the radical often con- 

 volute, much narrower. Panicle erect, oblong, .06 to .09 long, .03 

 broad, branches scabrous, at length spreading, 4-5 together; spikelets 

 oblong-ovate, .003 to .005 long, .0015 broad; flowerets 3-5, connected 

 hy long, interlacing fleece, glumes nearly equal, acute, with scabrous 

 keel; lower pale acute, scarious-margined, tJie Tceel and margins and 

 nerve XJubescent-silTcy — Spring — Fields ; common. 



3. P. trivialis, L. 2f .3 to .6; root fibrous; culms terete, some- 

 what flattened, usually scabrous above. Leaves flaccid, linear, flat. 

 Panicle erect or nodding at tip, .05 to .2 long, .02 to .03 broad, 

 branches scabrous, the lower as many as flve.in a whorl ; spikelets ovate, 

 .002 to .003 long, green or reddish, 3-4-flowered ; j^eece little or 0; 

 glumes unequal, lanceolate, mucronate; lower pale lanceolate, acute, 

 somewhat silky at keel, the lateral nerves prominent — April to June 

 — Fields and woods; common. 



1 1 Lateral iierves of lower imle obsolete. 



4. P. compre§§a, L. If .3 to. 6; root-stock creep- Fig. 408. 

 ing, stoloniferous; culms geniculate or procumbent. 

 Leaves linear, glaucous. Panicle erect, oblong, contracted 

 before and' after flowering, .05 to .06 long, .008 broad, 

 branches short, the lower 2-3 together; spikelets ovate- 

 oblong, .004 to .005 long, green or variegated; flowerets 

 5-9, soynewhat connected at base by sparse fleece ; glumes 

 nearly equal, oblong, acute ; lower pale oblong, obtuse at 

 scarious tip, silky toward base of keel and margins — 

 April to September — Dry places and roadsides ; coast to ^om^*e|sa°^^ 5^ 

 subalpine Lebanon ; Gilead. ^^'dFameteVs. 



5. P. bulbosa, L. 2( .3 to .4; tufted, root fibrous; culms erect, 

 often bulbous at base. Leaves linear, flat, acute. Panicle ovate to ob- 

 long, .02 to .06 long, .01 to .04 broad, dense, branches short, solitary 

 or twin; spikelets ovate, 4-7-flowered, .003 long, white or variegated; 

 glumes nearly equal, oblong, acute; flowerets imbricated, connected by 

 long, interlacing fleece ; lower pale oblong, scarious at tip, acute, silky 

 all over or at keel and margins — Spring — Hillsides and rocky places ; 

 common throughout. Often viviparous. 



O. P. Sinaica, Steud. If .2 to .3; root fibrous; culms erect, 

 tufted, often bulbous at base. Leaves linear-setaceous or convolute. 

 Panicle oblong, .02 to .05 long, .01 broad, compact, branches short, 

 stiff, 2-3 together; spikelets crowded, ovate-oblong, .003 to .004 long, 

 white, glossy; flowerets 5-6, slightly or not at all connected by fleece ; 

 glumes nearly equal, ovate-oblong, acute, with scabrous keel ; lower 

 pale oblong, acutish, more or less pruinose-scabrous — Spring — Et-Tih ; 

 Sinai; Syrian Desert; Nebk to Qaryetein. Very near the last. 



