66 POACEAE 



45. BtJLBILIS Raf. Buffalo Grass. 



Creeping, stoloniferous, dioecious perennials. Staminate spikelets 2- or 3- 

 flowerecl, crowded in 2 rows on one side of the short, flattened rachis, in small 

 spikes. Empty glumes 2, membranous, lanceolate. Lemma similar. Pistillate 

 spikelet l-flo\vered. First emjity glume membranous, usually small, the second 

 largest, firm, concave at the base, 3-lobed at the apex. Lemma narrow, nearly 

 hyaline, enclosing a broad, 2-nerved, convolute palet. Styles distinct, long; 

 stigmas elongate, sliort-plumose. 



1. B. dactyloides (Xutt.) Raf. Stoloniferous perennial; stems bearing the 

 staminate flowers 1-3 dm. high, erect, exceeding the leaves, glabrous; those 

 bearing the pistillate flowers 1-10 cm. long, shorter than the leaves; leaves 2-10 

 cm. long, 1-2 mm. wide, papillose-hirsute; staminate spikelets 2 or 3, ap])roximate, 

 0.5-1.5 cm. long; spikelets 4-5 mm. long, flattened, 2-3-flowered; pistillate 

 spikelets in the axils of the leaves, ovoid, the empty ghnnes indurate. Hurhloe 

 dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm. Plains and prairies: Minn. — Ark. — Tex. — X.M. — 

 N.D.; Mex. Plain — Suhmont. Je-Jl. 



46. SCLEROPOGON Philippi. 



Dioecious perennial herbs with tufted rootstocks. Sjiikelets in narrow 

 panicl.'S, very unlike. Staminate sjjikelets compressed, linear, many-flowered; 

 empty glumes nearly equal, lanceolate; lemma 3-toothed at the apex or entire, 

 about equalling the glumes and the palet. Pistillate spikelets cylindric, 3-5- 

 flowered; ghmies lanceolate, the upper larger; lemma cylindric, rigid, enveloping 

 the palet, 3-lobed and 3-awned. 



1. S. Karwinskyanus (Fourn.) Benth. Stems ascending, 1-3 dm. high, 

 glabrous; leaf-blades firm, flat, 1-4 cm. long, 1-2 mm. wide; inflorescence spike- 

 like; staminate spikelets 2-5 cm. long, 7-25-flowered ; empty glumes 7-8 mm. 

 long; lemma almost as long, slightly 3-toothed at the apex and awn-pointed; 

 pistillate spikelets few-flowered; empty glumes very unequal, 7-14 mm. long; 

 lemma about 1 cm. long, with three awns often 5-6 cm. long. Dry plains: Tex. 

 —Colo.— Ariz.— Mex. Son. My-0. 



47. PHRAGMITES Trin. Reed, Cane-grass. 



Tall perennials with long creeping rootstocks. Leaves broad and flat. 

 Spikelets numerous in large terminal panicles, 3-several-flowered, the lower 

 flower staminate, the rest perfect; rachilla articulated between the flowers 

 and covered with long hairs. Empty glumes keeled, narrow, acute, the first 

 much shorter than the second. Lemma similar, long-acuminate, 3-nerved. 

 Palet hyaline, much shorter, 2-keeled. Styles short; stigmas plumose. 



1. P. phragmites (L.) Karst. Stem glabrous, 1.5-5 m. high, stout; leaf- 

 blades 1.5-4 dm. long, 8-50 mm. wide, flat, glabrous; panicle 1.5-3 dm. long, 

 ample; spikelets numerous; lemma 10-12 mm. long, long-acuminate. F. com- 

 munis Trin. Swamps: Newf. — Fla. — -Calif. — -B.C.; Mex., W. Ind., Eurasia. 

 Plain — Suhniorit. Au-0. 



48. MUNROA Torr. False Buffalo Grass. 



Low prostrate herbs, dichotomously branched and fasciculate at the nodes. 

 Leaves short, rigid, crowded at the nodes and at the ends of the branches. 

 Spikelets few, almost sessile in the axils of the leaves and almost concealed in 

 the leaf-rosettes. Empty glumes hyaline, nerveless, acute. Lemmas larger, 

 3-nerved, refuse or 3-toothed at the apex, the upper one or two often sterile. 

 Palet hyaline. Stamens 3. Styles elongated; stigmas barbellate or short- 

 plumose. Grain free. 



1. M. squarrosa (Nutt.) Torr. Stems 1-2 dm. long; sheath short and in- 

 flated, long-hairy at the throat; leaf-blades 1-2.5 cm. long, 1-2 mm. wide, rigid, 

 spreading, scabrous, pungent; spikelets 2-5-flowered; empty glumes sliorter than] 

 the lemma, which is about 5 mm. long, 3-toothed and awn-pointed. Dry plains: 

 Sask. — S.D. — Tex. — Ariz. — Alta. Plnin-Suhmont. Au-0. 



