GHA:,iii!siwE. (GRASS FAMILY.) 549 



from the base; panicle very simple and raceme-like, few-flowered j awn 2-3 

 times the length of the rather hairy whitish paleee. (Urachne, Trin.) Hill-sides, 

 &e., in rich woods; common northward. May. Leaves concave, keelless, 

 rough-edged, pale underneath, lasting through the winter. Squamulaj lanceo- 

 late, almost as long as the inner palca \ 



3. O. CaBiadnsi, Torn Culms slender (G'-15' high), the lowest 

 sheaths leaf-bearing; leaves involute-thread-shaped; panicle contracted (l'-2' 

 long), the branches usually in pairs ; paleae pubescent, whitish; awn short and 

 very ili'ciduous, or wanting. (0. parviflora, Nutt. Stipajuneea, Michx. S. Can- 

 adensis, Poir. Milium pungens, Torr. Urachne brcvicaudata, Trin.) Rocky 

 hills and dry plains, W. New England to Wisconsin, and northward; rare. 

 May. Glumes l"-2'' long, sometimes purplish. Through the species, or 

 perhaps variety, Uraclme micrantha, Trin., this genus is strictly connected with 

 Stipa. 



14. STIPA, L. FEATHER-GRASS. 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, terete : the flower falling away at maturity, with the con- 

 spicuous obconical bearded and often sharp-pointed stalk (callus), from the mem- 

 branaceous glumes. Lower palea coriaceous, cylindrical-involute, closely em- 

 bracing the smaller upper one and the cylindrical grain, having a long and 

 twisted or tortuous simple awn jointed with its apex (naked in our species). 

 Stamens mostly 3. Stigmas plumose. Perennials, with narrow involute leaves 

 and a loose panicle. (Name from orvnr}, tow, in allusion to the flaxen appear- 

 ance of the feathery awns of the original species.) 



* Callus or base of the flower short and blunt ; glumes pointless. 



1. S. Richard so nil, Link. Culm (1^- 2 high) and leaves slender ; 

 panicle loose (4' -5' long), with slender few-flowered branches; glumes nearly 

 equal, oblong, acutish (2^" long), about equalling the pubescent linear-oblong 

 lower palea, which bears a tortuous or geniculate awn 6" - 8" long. Pleasant 

 Mountain, near Scbago Lake, Maine, C. J. Sprague ; and northwestward. 

 (Flowers rather smaller than in Richardson's plant, as described by Trinius 

 and Ruprceht.) 



#* Callus or base of the flower pungenlly pointed : at maturity villous-bcardcd : lower 

 palca slender and minutely bearded at the tip : glumes taper-pointed. 



2. S. aveiii&cea, L. (BLACK OAT-GRASS.) Culm slender (l-2 

 hiirh) ; leaves almost bristle-form ; panicle open; palece blackish, nearly as lonq as 

 ilic a! most equal glumes (about 4" long), the awn bent above, twisted below (2' 

 3' long). Dry or sandy woods, S. New England to Wisconsin, and (chiefly) 

 southward. July. 



3. S. spsirtea, Trin., not of Hook. (PORCUPINE GRASS.) Culm rather 

 stout (l-3 high) ; panicle contracted ; palew linear, $'-!' long (including the 

 long callus), pubescent below, shorter than the lanceolate slender subulate-pointed 

 greenish glumes ; the twisted strong awn 3^-7' long, pubescent below, rough 

 above. (S. juncea, Pttrsh?) Plains and prairies, from Illinois and N. MichL- 

 gah northwestward. 



