(GRASS FAMIL* ) 573 



acutely 2-c'eft tip proeeeiing from the mid-nerve only. Stamens 3. Grain 

 oblong-linear, grooved on one side, usually hairy, free, but invested by the upper 

 pnlea. (The classical Latin name.) 

 1. AVENASTRUM, Koch. Spikelets rather small, several-flowered ; the 



flowers rentotish ; glumes 1- and 3-nerved ; lower palea about 7 -nerved : root 



perennial. 



1. A. Stl'iikta, Miehx. Culms tufted, slender (l-2 high) ; leaves nar- 

 row; panicle simple, loose, drooping with age; the few 3 - 5-flowcred spikelets 

 on rough capillary pedicels, much longer than the very unequal purple glumes; 

 lower palea with a short bearded tuft at the base, much longer than the ciliate- 

 fringed upper one (J' long), bearing a long straightish awn just below the taper- 

 ing very sharply cuspidate 2-cleft tip. (Trisctum purpurascens, Ton.) Rocky, 

 shaded hills, N. New England, New York, and northward. June. 



4 2. AIR6PSIS, Desv., Fries. Spikelets very small, of 2 closdy approximate 

 flowers, and with no rudiment of a third: glumes l-nerved: lower palea obscurdy 

 3-5-nerved: root annual. (Forms a genus intermediate between Aira and 

 Avena, here appended to the latter for convenience.) 



2. A. PR.ECOX, Beauv. Dwarf (3' -4' high), tufted; leaves short, bristle- 

 shaped ; branches of the small oblong panicle appressed ; awn from below the 

 middle of the flower. (Aira prsecox, L.) Sandy fields, New Jersey to Vir- 

 ginia : rare. (Nat. from Eu.) See Addend. 



A. SATIVA, L., the COMMON OAT, belongs to the section with annual roots, 

 and long, 7 - 9-nerved glumes. 



51. ARI1HE1VATIIERUM, Beauv. OAT-GRASS. 



Spikelets open-panicled, 2-flowercd, with the rudiment of a third flower ; the 

 middle flower perfect, with its lower palea barely bristle-pointed from near the 

 tip ; the lowest flower staminate only, bearing a long bent awn below the mid- 

 dle of the back (whence the name, from apprjp^ masculine, and dtir/p, awn) : 

 otherwise as in Avena, of which it is only a peculiar modification. 



1. A. AVENACEUM, Beauv. Leaves broad, flat ; panicle elongated (8'- 10' 

 long); glumes scarious, very unequal. 1J. (Avena elatior, L.} Meadows and 

 lots scarce: absurdly called Grass of the Andes. May -July. (Nat. from Eu.) 



52. HOL.CUS, L. (partly). MEADOW SOFT-GRASS. 



Spikelets crowded in an open panicle, 2-flowered, jointed with the pedicels ; 

 the boat-shaped membranaccous glumes enclosing and much exceeding the re- 

 motish flowers. Lower flower peifect, but its papery or thin-coriaceou* lower 

 palea awnless and pointless ; the upper flower s>mia ate only, otherwise similar, 

 but bearing a stout bent awn below the apex. Stamens 3. Styles plumose to 

 the base. Grain free, scarcely grooved. (An ancient name, from O\KOS, draught, 

 of obscure application.) 



1. If. LAN\TUS, L. (VELVET-GRASS.) Soft-downy, pale ; panicle oblong 

 (l'-4' long) ; upper glume mucronate-awned under the apex ; awn of the stam- 

 inate flower recurved. i|. Moist meadows ; scarce. June. (Nat. from Eu.) 



