GRAMINE/E. (OUASS FAMILY.) 555 



23. I.EPTOCHLOA, Bcauv. (OXYDENIA, Nutt.) 



Spikelets 3 - many-flowered (the uppermost flower imperfect), loosely spiked 

 on one side of a long filiform rhachis : the spikes racemed. Glumes membra- 

 naceous, keeled, often awl-pointed, the upper one somewhat larger. Lower pa- 

 lea 3-nerved, with the lateral nerves next the eiliate or hairy margins awnless, or 

 bristle-awned at the entire or 2-toothed tip, larger than the upper. Stamens 2 or 

 3. Seed sometimes loose in the pericarp. Leaves flat. (Name composed of 

 AeTrros, slender, and x^oa, grass, from the long attenuated spikes.) 



1. LEPTOCHLOA PROPER. Lower palea awnless or simply awned. 



1. 1. limcronata, Kunth. Sheaths hairy; spikes numerous (20-40, 

 2' -4' in length), in a long panicle-like raceme; spikelets small; glumes more 

 or less mucronate, nearly equalling or exceeding the 3-4 awnless flowers. 

 Fields, Virginia to Illinois, and southward. August. 



$2. DIPLACHNE, Beauv. Lower palea bristle-aivned from the 2-toothed apex ; 

 the marginal nerves often excurrent into lateral teeth or points. 



2. JL fascicillaris. Smooth ; leaves longer than the geniculate-decum- 

 bent branching culms ; the upper sheathing the base of the crowded panicle-like 

 raceme, which is composed of many strict spikes (3' -5' long) ; spikelets slightly 

 pedicelled, 7-11-flowcred, much longer than the lanceolate glumes; palese 

 hairy-margined towards the base ; the lower one with 2 small lateral teeth and a 

 short awn in the cleft of the apex. (1 s ; (Festuca fascicularis, Lam. F. polysta- 

 chya, Michx. Diplachnc fascicularis, Beauv., Torr.) Brackish meadows, 

 from Rhode Island southward along the coast, and from Illinois southward on 

 the Mississippi. Aug. Makes a direct transition to the next genus. 



24. TRICIJSPIS, Beauv. (URA.LEPIS & WiNDsdRiA, Nutt.) 



Spikelets 3-12-flowered, somewhat terete; the terminal flower abortive. 

 Glumes unequal. Rhachis of the spikelet bearded below each flower. Palcse 

 membranaceous Or somewhat chartaceous ; the lower much larger than the 2- 

 toothed upper one, convex, 2-3-toothed or cleft at the apex, conspicuously 

 hairy-bearded or villous on the 3 strong nerves, of which the lateral are mar- 

 ginal or nearly so and usually excurrent, as is the mid-nerve especially, into a 

 short cusp or awn. Stamens 3. Stigmas dark purple, plumose. Grain ob- 

 long, mostly gibbous. Leaves taper-pointed: sheaths bearded at the throat. 

 Panicle simple or compound ; the spikelets often racemose, purplish. (Name 

 from the Latin tricitspis, three-pointed, alluding to the lower palea.) 



$1. TRICUSPIS PROPER. (Wimlsoria, Nutt. ) Glumes shorter than the 

 crowded Jlowers : lorver palea 3-cnspidate by the projection of the nerves, and usu- 

 ally with 2 intermediate m&nbranaceous teeth; the upper palea naked. 

 1. T. SCSlerioiclcs, Torr. (TALL RED-TOP.) Culm upright (3 -5 



high), very smooth, as are the flat leaves ; panicle large and compound, the rigid 

 capillary branches spreading, naked below: sjiikelets very numerous 5 - 7-ilow- 

 ered, shining, purple (J' long) ; the flowers hairy toward the base. y. (Poa 

 flava, L, ! 1*. seslerio'uk'S, Mir/'i.f. 1'. qi'.i'.i'.jUvliilu, / > <i/-.s//. \\'ind-oria pose- 



