92 PL/VNTS OF BERMUDA. 



die, hairy at the base only ; spikes in pairs, one to two inches long, 

 spikdets smootli, ovate, pointed, fiat compressed, arranged in two 

 rows beneath tlie narrower flattened axis. Distribution, United 

 States. A very useful native grass, common on the seashore, where 

 its long rooting stems bind the sand and soil, preventing denuda- 

 tion. It is valueless for pasture, and appears only rarely to flower. 

 October. 



3. r. vaginatum. Stem roundish, ascending from a decumbent 

 base, twelve to eighteen inches ; leaves flat, smooth, two to four 

 inches long, sheaths open, ciliate, except the upper one which is 

 longer and closed ; spikes two, approximate, spreading, two inches 

 long, hairy at the jointed base ; spikeleta one-eighth of an inch, 

 ovtttc, convex on the inner surface, slightly imbricated, in two rows, 

 beneath the flattened axis, the latter as wide as the spikelets and 

 channelled. Distribution, Southern United States ; habitat, culti- 

 vated ground, not uncommon. October. 



4. P. conjugation. A smooth, erect, annual grass; leaves flat, 

 ciliate, four inches long, quarter-inch broad, sheaths compressed, 

 the upper very long ; spikes twin, both at the summit of the stem, 

 sometimes with a third lower down, three inches long and very 

 slender ; spikelets minute, roundish ovate, flat on the outer surface, 

 hairy on the margin, in two rows beneatli the flattened axis, which 

 is nearly as wide as the spikelets. Distribution, West Indies ; 

 habitat, fields, rather local. 



5. P. setaceum. Stems slender, rigid, 'ascending from a decumbent 

 base, one to two feet long, with distant joints ; leaves three to eight 

 inches long, sometimes purplish, margin undulate and fringed \vith 

 long silky hairs ; upper slieath very long and loosely investing the 

 one to three slender flowering stems ; spikes one to three on each 

 stem, one terminal, others rather distant, two to three inches long, 

 smooth, half erect ; spikelets roundish, blunt, the flattened side 

 turned outwards, in two or three rows beneath the narrower flexu- 

 ous axis. Distribution, Southern United States; habitat, waste 

 places, pastures, and cultivated ground, frequent. July to October. 



6. F. (BigitanaJ setigcra. Stem branched, kneeling and rooting 

 at the lower joints, ascending, softly haiiy ; leaves lanceolate, two 

 to four inches long, often purplish, margin undulate, sheath hairy ; 

 spikes usually four, in slender, somewhat distant, pairs, two to 

 three inches long, spreading ; spikelets narrow, in pairs, one 

 stalked, the other sessile, lanceolate acute, green or tiiiged with 

 purple ; outer glume minute, second half as long as floret, third 

 with five parallel nerves ; axis slender, three-winged, as broad as 

 spikelets. Distribution, West Indies ; habitat, waysides, &c., com- 

 mon. October and November. 



V. SPAllTINA. 



Spikelets mmh compressed, densely imhricated in a double row on the 

 wider side of the racemose spikes, 



I, S. ci/nosuroides (Rush-grass). A perennial ^rass with erect, 



