44 Festuceae 



26. MONANTHOCHLOE Engelm. 



A creeping or stoloniferous grass with stout rigid 

 crowded leaves. Spikelets 2-3-flowered unisexual some- 

 what unlike usually sessile in 4's and concealed within 

 the leaf fascicles, the upper floral leaves becoming smaller 

 at .length reduced to sheaths and resembling the outer 

 glumes. Flowering glumes membranous rigid obtuse or 

 denticulate. Palea 2-nerved included within the flower- 

 ing glume. Stamens in the staminate plants 3. Styles 

 in the pistillate plants distinct, elongated ; stigmas bar- 

 bellate. Grain free, included within the glume and 

 palea. 



1. M. littoralis Engelm. Culms firm, creeping or ascending; 

 leaves crowded, subulate, usually about 1 cm. long, conduplicate ; 

 flowering glumes 9-12-nerved. 



Occasional on salt marshes along the coast. San Pedro; San Diego. 



ARUNDO DONAX L. (GIANT-REED.) A tall reed-like grass with 

 hollow culms, broad flat leaves and ample terminal panicles. In- 

 troduced from southern Europe and cultivated for ornament, 

 sometimes found as an escape. 



GYNERIUM ARGENTIUM Nees. (PAMPAS-GRASS.) Tall reed-like 

 grass with solid culms, long narrow leaves and large showy plu- 

 mose panicles. Introduced from South America and cultivated for 

 ornament. 



27. ERAGROSTIS Beauv. 



Annual or perennial grasses with flat leaves and con- 

 tracted or open panicles. Spikelets 2 many-flowered, 

 more or less flattened. Glumes 4-many ; the 2 outer 

 empty, unequal, shorter than the flowering ones, keeled, 

 1-nerved or the second 3-nerved ; flowering glumes mem- 

 branous, keeled, 3-nerved. Palea shorter than the 

 glumes, prominently 2-nerved or 2-keeled, usually per- 

 sisting on the rachilla after the glume has fallen. Sta- 



