I 



(jRAMiNK.i:. ((;kass family.) 663 



2. U. latifblia, Michx. (PI. Il.fii:. l-.J) Culm 2-4'^ high; panicle 

 loose; leaves broad and flat (nearly V wide) ; spikeltts at length oblong, hang- 

 ing on long pedicels ; glumes acute, ciliate on the keel, all hut the lowest with 

 perfect monandrous flowers. — Shaded slopes, S. Teun. to 111., and southward. 



* * Sj>i/celets small ; panicle contracted, wand-like ; perfect Jlowers long-pointed. 



3. U. gracilis, Michx. Culm 3° high, slender; spikelets short-pedicelled 

 (2-3" long), hroadly wedge-shaped, acute at base, 4 - S-floicered ; glumes ovate 

 and divergently beaked, long, the 3 lowest empty. — Sandy soil, from Long 

 Island to Va., near the coast, and southward. Aug. 



61. DISTICHLIS, Raf. 8pike-Gra!?s. (PI. 10.) 



Spikelets and numerous flowers compressed, crowded in a densely spiked or 

 capitate panicle. (Jlumes herbaceous or membranaceous, the lower faintly 

 many-nerved ; flowering glumes rather coriaceous, laterally much flattened, 

 faintly many-nerved, acute. Ovary stalked. — Flowers dicecious, rather large. 

 Leaves crowded, involute, usually rigid. (Name from Sicttixos, tao-ranked.) 



1. D. maritima, Raf. Culms tufted from creeping rootstocks (9-18' 

 higli) ; spike oblong, flattened (T long) ; spikelets ovate or oblong, .5 - 10-flow- 

 ered ; glumes smooth and naked; grain pointed. (Brizopyrum spicatum, 

 Hook.) — Salt marshes and sliores. Aug. — Glumes of the pi.stillate flowers 

 more rigid and almost keeled ; stigmas very long, plumose ; the staraiuate 

 glumes smaller and somewhat rounded on the back. 



62. DACTYLIS, L. Orchard Grass. (PI. 10.) 



Spikelets several flowered, crowded in one-sided clusters, forming a branch- 

 ing dense panicle. Glumes all herbaceous, keeled, awn-pointed, rougli-ciliate 

 on the keel ; the flowering one 5-nerved, the ui)per most commonly smaller 

 and thinner. Stamens 3. Grain lance-oblong, acute, free. — Stout tutted per- 

 ennial ; leaves keeled. (Dacti/los, a name in 1 liny for a grass with digitate 

 spikes, from Sa/cTuAos, ajinger.) 



D. ur.oMKK.VrA, L. Rough, rather glaucous (3° high); leaves broadly 

 linear ; branches of the panicle naked at base ; spikelets 3 - 4-flowereil. — Fields 

 and yards, especially in shade. June. (Xat. from Ku.) 



63. BRIZA, L. Quaking Grass. (PI. 10.) 



Spikelets many-flowered, ovate or heart-shaped, flattish-tumid ; the flowers 

 closely imbricated. Glumes roundish, uneiiual, purplish, verv concave or 

 ventrii'ose, 3 -5-nerved; tlie flowering ventricose on the Imck, hfart-shaj)eil at 

 the l)ase, j)a[)ery-nienibranaceous and becoming drv, scarious-niargined, ol>- 

 scurely many-nerved ; the palet much smaller, ovate, flat. Stamens 3. Stig- 

 mas branched-plnmose. Grain flattened parallel with the glumes, adhering to 

 the palet. — Leaves flat ; ]»anicle loose, diffuse, with large showy spikelets often 

 drooping on delicate pedicels. (Bp(^o, the (ireek name of a kiiid of grain.) 



B. MEDIA, L. Panicle erect, the branches spreading; spikelets . 5 - 9-flow- 

 ered (3" long) ; lower glumes shorter than the flrst flowering one; root per- 

 ennial. — I'astures; sparingly eastward. June. (Adv. from Ku.) 



64. POA, L. Mkadow-Gkas.s. Speak-Grass. (PI. 10.) 



Spikelets ovate or lance-ovate, laterally compressed, several- (2- 10) flow- 

 ered, in an open panicle. Empty glumes mostly shorter than the flowers, the 



