(GTIASS FAMILY.} 535 



131. C. olS^fOSp? rma, Michx. Srcri!c spikes 1-2, slender; fertile 

 sjrikis \ -2, si tort, oroi !,jl-ir-Jloiccrcd. the lower on a very short stalk; peri^ynia 

 ovoid, tapering into a short minutely toothed beak, not much longer than tho 

 ovate awnless scale ; culm very slender ; leaves and bracts linear, at length involute. 

 (C. Oakesiana, Doc.) Borders of lakes and ponds, especially on mountains, 

 New England, N. New York, Wisconsin, and northward. 



132. C. longirostl'is, Torr. Sterile spikes usually 3, at tho summit of 

 a long slender stalk ; the lower often bearing some fertile flowers ; fertile spike* 

 2-3, cylindrical, more or less distant, on long filiform at length drooping stalks, 

 loosely fowtred } perigynia g'obose-ovoid, smooth and shining, abruptly contracted 

 into a very long and narrow Leal-, which is rough on the margin, oblique and 2- 

 cleft at the mi-mbranaceous orifice, a little longer than the lanceolate light-colored 

 or white scale. (C. Sprengelii, Dew.) Shady rocks, N. New England to Wis- 

 consin, and northward. Though agreeing with the species of this section in tho 

 numerous staminate spikes and tho long-beaked fruit, this plant is perhaps aa 

 nearly allied to No. 97. 



ORDER 134. GRAIVIINEJE. (GRASS FAMILY.) 



Grasses, with usually hollow stems (culms) closed at the joints, alternate 2- 

 ranked leaves, their sheaths split or open on the side opposite the blade ; the 

 Jiypofjynous flowers imbricated with ^.-ranked ylumes or bracts: the outer pair 

 (glumes proper, calyx, L.) subtending the spikelet of one or several flow- 

 ers ; the inner pair (palece, ou'er perianth, K. Br.) enclosing each partic- 

 ular flower, which is usually furnished with 2 or 3 minute hypogynoua 

 scales (squamulce, Jusa., corolla, Micheli, lodiculce, Beauv.). Stamens 1-6, 

 commonly 3 : anthers versatile, 2-celled, the cells distinct. Styles mostly 

 2 cr 2 -par ted : stigmas hairy or feathery. Ovary 1 -celled, 1-ovuled, form- 

 ing a seed-like grain (eoryopnia) in fruit. Embryo small, on the outsido 

 and at the base of the floury albumen. Roots fibrous. Sheath of the 

 leaves usually more or less extended above the base of the blade into a 

 scarious appendage (ligule). Spikelets panL-led or spiked. Inner (upper) 

 paloa usually 2-nerved or 2-keeled, therefore probably consisting of two 

 unitt'd. A vast and most important family, as it furnishes the cereal 

 grains, and the principal food of cattle, &c. 



Synopsis. 



TRIBE I. POACEJE, R. Brown. Spikelets 1 - many-flowered, when more than on- 

 llowered centripetal in development ; tne lowe.t flowers first developing, the upprrioit t 

 if any, imperfect or abortive, the rest all alike in the ppikek-t (perfect, or occasionally 

 mocoecious or diwcious) : only in a ft- sv exceptional cases with t.;e lo\veft of the several 

 flower? k-?s pt-rlt-ct th:n the ujiper (vii. st.iuiiuate ouly in Arrlienatherum aud I'hrag- 

 mites, neutral iu Uuiola, Cteuiuin. &c ). 



Subtribe 1. OR\ ZE2E. Soikelets 1-flowered, in panicle?, the flowers often monocciuni 



Glumes aboi tive or wanting ! liu.cr palese 3 nerved '. SquanmlsB 2 Stauieua 1 - 0. 

 1. LUEKSIA. Flowers perfect, strong^ flattened contrary to the awnless palea 

 2 ZIZANIA rhrvarn motxc4<m. l^ik convex , th lower ooeftornod in t h* CwrUl flor. 



