GRAMINEJE. (GRASS FAMILY.) 627 



7-1. Elymus. Spikelets 1 - several-flowered, all perfect and similar. 



7G. Asprella. !Si)ikelets few-flowered, somewLat pedicelled, 1-3 at each joint Glumes 



none or small and deciduous. 

 Tribe XI. BAMBUSEiE. Tall woody reeds, the flat leaves with a short petiole jointed 



upon tlic slicath. Spikelets few- many-flowered, flattened, in panicles or racemes. 

 77. Arundiiiaria. Flowering glumes rounded on the back, many-nerved, acuminate or 



bristle-pointed ; empty glumes very small. 



1. SPARTINA, Schreber. Cord or MAnsn Grass. (PI. 9.) 



Spikelets 1-flowered, very much flattened laterally, jointed and sessile in 2 

 ranks on the outer side of a triangular rhachis. Glumes 3, unequal, lanceo- 

 late, .strongly compressed-keeled, acute or bristle-pointed, mostly rough-bristly 

 on the keel ; palet thin, equalling or longer than the flowering glume. Stamens 

 3. Styles long, more or less united. — Terennials, with simple and rigid often 

 reed-like culms, from extensively creeping scaly rootstocks, racemed spikes, 

 very smooth sheaths, and long tough leaves (whence the name, from (nrapTivq, 

 a cord, such as was made from the bark of the S])artiuin or Broom). 



* Spikelets coiiipactlfi imbricated very rou(/h-hispid on the keels; spikes (2-4' 



lonr/) more or less peduncled ; culm and elongated leaves rigid. 



1. S. cynosuroides, Willd. (Fresh-water Coru-Grass.) Culm rather 

 slender (2-6° high) • leaves narrow (2-4° long, Y wide below or less), taper- 

 ing to a very slender point, keeled, flat, but quickly involute in drying, smooth 

 except the margins; spikes 5-20, scattered, sj)reading; rhachis rough on the 

 margins ; glumes aivn-pointed, especially the middle one (its awn about ^ long), 

 strongly serrulate-hispid on the keel, the lower equalling the upper, whose strong 

 midrib abruptly terminates below the membranous apex. — Banks of rivers 

 and lakes, or in ricli soil, especially northward. Aug. 



2. S. polystachya, Willd. (Salt Reed-Grass.) Culm tall and stout 

 (4 " 9° high, often 1' in diameter near the base) ; leaves broad (| - V), roughish 

 xinAerneath, as Avell as the margins; spikes 20 - 50, forming a dense oblong ra- 

 ceme (purplish) ; glumes barely mucronate,the lower half the length of the flower- 

 ing one, of which the rough-hispid midrib reaches to the apex. — Salt or 

 brackish marshes, within tide-water, especially southward. 



3. S. jlineea, Willd. (Rush Salt-Grass.) Culms low (1-2° high) and 

 slender ; leaves narrow and rush-like, strongly involute, very smooth ; spikes 1-5, 

 on very short peduncles, the rhachis smooth ; glumes acute, the lower scarcely 

 half the length of the middle one, not half the length of the upper. — Salt 

 marshes and sea-beaches. Aug. (Eu.) 



* * Sjn'kelets loosely imbricated, or somewhat remote and alternate, the keels only 



slightly hairy or roughish nnder a lens ; spikes sessile and erect, sojl ; leaves, 

 rhachis, etc., very smooth; culm rather succxdent. 



4. S. Stricta, Koth. (Salt Marsh-Grass.) (PI. 9, fig. 1-3.) Culm 

 1 -4° high, leafy to the top ; leaves soon convolute, narrow ; spikes few (2-4), 

 the rhachis slightly projecting beyond the crowded or imbricated spikelets; 

 glumes acute, very unequal, the larger l-nerved, a little longer than the 

 flower. — Salt marshes, Penn., etc. — Odor strong and rancid. (En.) 



Var. glabra, Gray. Culm and leaves longer ; spikes 5- 12 (2 -3' long); 

 81)ikelets imbricate-crowded. — Common on the coast. 



