Hierochloe. GR AMINES. 265 



one, which is long-pointed, hairy, and one third shorter than the glumes. Poiret, 

 Encycl. Suppl. i. 300. P. microstachya, DC. ; Trin. Spec. Gram, i, t. 77. P. Cali- 

 fvrnica, Hook. & Arn. Bot. Beechey, 161. 



Var. angusta, Chapm. Spikes cylindrical, 3 to 6 inches long, narrow and often 

 interrupted toward the base. P. angusta, Nees, Fl. Bras. i. 28, t. 9; Trin. 1. c., t. 78. 



A widely diffused annual species, common on the southern Atlantic coast, and on the Pacific 

 from northern Mexico to Oregon, where it varies from six inches to six feet in height ; in the 

 large forms the stems are as thick as the little finger and the spike, 6 or 8 inches long, is often 

 interrupted at the base. It is known to farmers as "California Timothy," but is of no agricul- 

 tural value. 



* * Glumes with a narroiv keel, often purplish. 



3. P. amethystina, Trin. Culms from a perennial root, forming clumps 2 to 8 

 feet high : leaves and sheaths, often purplish, much as in the preceding : spike ob- 

 long, 1 to 2 inches long, usually purple ; spikelets 2 lines long or more : glumes but 

 slightly keeled : rudimentary florets hairy, more than half the length of the hairy 

 perfect floret. Phalarid. 10. 



Gulches and ravines; Oakland (Bolander) ; Monterey (Brewer), and southward ; also in Chili. 

 Sometimes the plant is green throughout, when it closely resembles forms of P. intermedia, from 

 which the very narrowly keeled glumes and longer abortive florets distinguish it. 



2. Panicle branched : glumes not keeled. DIGRAPHIS. 



4. P. arundinacea, Linn. (REED CANARY-GRASS.) Perennial ; culms 2 to 4 

 feet high, with long flat leaves about half an inch wide and with the sheaths smooth : 

 panicle 4 to 8 inches long, its roughish branches spreading only at flowering time ; 

 spikelets 2 lines long, ovate : glumes pointed, 3-nerved : rudimentary florets reduced 

 to narrow silky scales, one third as long as the perfect one, which is smooth or 

 silky, and one third shorter than the glumes. 



Not common in the State, but collected near Sacramento by the Wilkes Expedition ; found in 

 Oregon and northward, and common in the northern Atlantic States and in the temperate and 

 arctic portions of the northern hemisphere. Wet grounds and river banks, where it is sometimes 

 abundant enough to cut for hay, but not much valued. The "Ribbon-grass" or " Striped-grass " 

 of the gardens is a form of this with variegated leaves. 



11. HIEROCHLOE, Gmelin. HOLY GRASS. 



Panicle loose and spreading. Spikelets laterally compressed, 3-flowered, the two 

 lower and lateral ones staminate, the upper or central one perfect. Glumes about 

 equal, scarious, 3-nerved, as long as or exceeding the florets. Staminate flowers ses- 

 sile, with three stamens. Palets scarious, the lower 5-nerved, sometimes with a 

 short awn ; the upper 2-nerved. Perfect flower short-pedicelled ; the lower palet 

 chartaceous, 5-nerved, awnless; the upper 1-nerved. Scales 2, lanceolate. Stamens 2. 

 Ovary smooth : styles long ; stigmas hairy. Grain terete, free. 



A genus of about a dozen species of perennial grasses, with flat and sometimes broadly linear 

 leaves, natives of cold and arctic regions. When dried the plants give off a pleasant vanilla-like 

 odor, on which account they were formerly strewn before church doors on Christmas and other 

 holy days, whence the name " Holy-grass," the generic name having the same meaning. 



1. H. macrophylla, Thurb. (LARGE-LEAVED VANILLA-GRASS.) Culms 2 to 3 

 feet high, forming large tufts, with leaves 12 to 18 inches long and 4 to 8 lines 

 broad, rough upon the upper surface and margins : panicle with rather distant 

 branches in pairs : glumes greenish along the very distinct nerves, obtuse and barely 

 equalling the staminate florets, the lower palets of which are strongly fringed on the 

 margin, notched at the broad apex, and often with a slight rnucro or awn ; perfect 

 floret pubescent towards the apex, otherwise smooth and shining, the lower palet 

 very obtuse and fringed on the margin. Boland. in Trans. Calif. Agric. Soc. 

 18G4-G5, 132. //. borealis, Torr. in Pacif. R. Uop. iv. 154. 



