148 



GRAMINEAE (GRASS FAMILY) 



2. L. fascicularis (Lam.) Gray. Smooth; leaves longer than the erect oi 

 geniculate-decumbent and branching culms, the upper sheathing the base of the 

 panicle; spikes 8-12 cm. long; spikelets slightly pediceled, l-W-flovered, [he 

 florets much longer than the lanceolate glumes ; lemmas hairy-margined toward 

 the base, with 2 small lateral teeth and a short awn in the cleft of the apex. 

 {Diplachne Beauv. ; D. acuminata and procumbens Nash.) — Brackish meadows, 

 from Mass. southw. along the coast ; and from 111. southw. along the Miss. R. 



Aug., 



Sept. 



69. BUCHLOE Engelm. Buffalo Grass 



Spikelets unisexual ; plants monoecious or dioecious ; staminate spikelets 2—3- 

 flowered, sessile in 2 rows along the short 1-sided spikes ; glumes unequal, 



obtuse ; lemmas larger, o-nerved ; palea a little shorter 

 than the lemma ; pistillate spikelets 1-llowered, in nearly 

 capitate 1-sided spikes which are scarcely exserted from 

 the broad sheaths of the upper leaves ; glumes indurated, 

 trifid at the apex, united at base and resembling an 

 involucre ; lemma narrow, hyaline, inclosing the 2-nerved 

 palea ; grain free within the hardened glumes. — A creep- 

 ing or stoloniferous perennial with narrow flat leaves, 

 and dissimilar staminate and pistillate spikelets borne on 

 the same or on distinct plants. (Name strongly con- 

 tracted from ^ou/3a\os, buffalo, and x^or), grass.) 



1. B. dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm. Culms of the 

 staminate inflorescence 1-.3 dm. high ; the spikes long- 

 exserted ; culms of pistillate inflorescence low, much 

 exceeded by the leaves ; sheaths overlapping ; blades 

 2 mm. wide or less ; staminate spikes 2 or 3, 6-12 mm. 

 cluster of pistillate spikelets ovoid, 6 mm. long. (Bulbilis Raf.) — Plains 



144. B. dactjloides. 

 {f and 9 inflorescence x %. 

 (^ Spikelet and floret (above) 



Xll/2. 



9 Spikelet, section of same, 

 and outer glume x 1%. 



long _ _ 



of the Sask. to Minn., Kan., and Tex. — One of the most valuable grasses of the 



plains. Seedlings are monoecious, but 

 propagate their own kind. Fig. 144. 



the staminate and pistillate branches 



60. PHRAGMITES Trin. Reed 



Spikelets loosely 3-7-flowered ; rhachilla clothed with long silky hairs ; glumes 

 unequal, lanceolate, acute ; lemmas narrow, long-acuminate, that of the lowest 

 floret somewhat longer, equaling the uppermost florets, 

 empty or subtending a staminate flower, the other florets 

 perfect; paleas |-| the length of their lemmas. — Tall reed- 

 like perennials with stout leafy culms and large terminal 

 panicles. (Name from (ppayfiiTrjs, groving in hedges., appar- 

 ently from its hedge-like growth along ditches.) 



1. P. communis Trin. Culms erect, stout, 1.5-4 ra. 

 high, from long creeping rootstocks ; sheaths overlapping ; 

 blades 1.5-6 dm. long, 1-5 cm. wide, flat, glabrous; panicle 

 tawny, 1.5-4 dm. long, branches ascending, rather densely 

 Howered ; spikelets 12-15 mm. long ; the florets exceeded by 

 the- hairs of the rhachilla. (P. vulgaris BSP. ; P. Phrag- 

 mites Kar.st.) — In wet places, edges of ponds, ditches, etc. 

 — Rarely perfecting seed, spreading freely from the rootstocks. the leafy stolons 

 often running on the .surface of the ground for a distance of 5-10 m. (Eurasia.) 

 Fig. 145. 



145. P. communis. 



t?l>ikelct. § tind J" 



floret X 11^. 



Ari'ndo Donax L. , the Giant Rekd, is cultivated for ornament and is occa- 

 sionally spontaneous southward. Resembling Phragmites but taller, spikelets 

 3-4-flowered ; flowers all jjcrfect ; rhachilla naked; lemmas clothed vjith long 

 silky hairs, short-awned from the bifid apex. 



