G04 GRAMINE^. (grass FAMILY.) 



• » * » STIPK.E. Paleae coriaceous, or indurated in fniit.commonl.v shorter than the mem- 

 hranaieous glumes, usually on a rijjid Ij'i-'-e or nUliis ; the lower involute, terete, closely 

 enclosing the upper and the grain, mostly 1 -3-a\vned at the apex. Inflorescence racemose 

 or p micleJ ; spirielets usually large, the flower deci Iuouk from the persistent glumes. 



14. Oryzopsis. Awn simple, straight, deciduous from the palet or sometimes wanting. 



15. Mipii. Awn simple, twisted below. Callus conspicuous, pointed at the base. 



10. Atisticla. Awn triple. Upper palet small. Callus conspicuous, pointed at the base. 



« • • « * Palets coriaceous or cartilaginous, awnless. Here the following would be sought by 

 the student who overlooked the p;iir of rudimentary flowers in No. 50, and was not ac- 

 quainted with the recondite theoretical structure of No. 57 and 5b. 



56. Plialnris. Spikelets laterally flattened. A rudiment at the base of each palet. 



57- Milium. Spikelets dorsally flattish, not jointed with the l>edii«ls : flowers all alike. 



58. A m phicarpiiin. Spikelets of two sorts, the fertile subterranean, those of the panicle 

 separating by a joint without ripening grain. 



Subtribe 3. Cliioridese. Spikelets rarely l-flowered, usually 2 -several-flowered, with 

 one or more of the upper flowers imperfect, dispo.sed in one-sided spikes 1 Clames persist- 

 ent, the upper one looking outward. lUiachis (axis) jointless. Spikes usually several and 

 racemed or digitate. Stamens 2 or 3. 



* Spikelets strictly 1-flowered. 



50. Pnspaliim mishtbe looked for liure, having to all appearance merely 1-flowered spikelets. 



17. Spariiua. Spikelets much flattened contrary to the glumes, imbricated in 2 ranks on 



the triangular rhachis of the straight spike. 

 « « Spikelets with one perfect and two or more imperfect or neutral flowers : 

 *- The perfect flower intermediate. 



18. Ctenitim. Spikelets closely imbricated on one side of the axis of a single curved spl .a. 



4-H- The perfect flower below the one or more neutral or rudimentary ones. 



19. Boiitelona. Lower palet Scleft and pointed or 3-awned at the apex. Spikes dense. 



20. Gyiiliiopo'jon. I^ower palet and the rudiment 1-awned. Spikes filiform, raceme^. 



21. Cyiiodoii. Flower and the rudiment awnless. Spikes slender, digitate., 



» * * Spikelets several flowered ; more than one of the lower flowers perfect and fertile. 

 ■f- Spikes digitate at the summit of the culm, den.se. 



22. Dactylocleniiini. Glumes compressed-keeled ; outer one awued : lower palet pointed. 



23. Elcusilie. Glumes and palets both awnless and blunt. 



■I- ■>- Spikes r.acemed, slender. 



24. Leptocliloa. Spikelets loosely s|)ikid. L:-wer palet pointless or awned at the tip. 



Subtribe 4. Fesfiicinere. Spikelets several- (few-many) flowered, panirled ; the 

 uppermost flower often imperfect or abortive. Palets pointle.ss, or the lower sometimes 

 tipped with a straight (not t-.visted nor deeply dorsal) awn or bristle. Stamens 1-3. Culms 

 sometimes reed-like, but not woody. 



* Lowest flowers of the spikclet perfect and fertile. 



-1- Gr.iin free from iKe palets. 



■H- .Joints of the rhachis of the spikelet at the insertion of each flower, or the whole rhachis, 



bearded. Glumes and convex palets membranaceous. 



25. Tricuspts. Spikelets 3- many -flowered. Lower paleae hairy fringed on the 3 nerves, 



one or all of which project into awns or mucronate tips, mostly from notches or clefts. 

 2G. Graphephoruni. Spikelets 2 -few-flowered. Glumes and palets awnless or pointless. 

 ++ ++ Rhachis of the spikelet and ba^ie of the flower not bearded. 

 a. Lower palet 1-poiuted, awned or acute, the nerves when present running into the point. 

 37. Diarrhena. Glumes (short) and the rigid-pointed lower 3-nerved palet coriaceous, 

 convox-boat-shaped. Stamens 2 I'ericarp cartilaginous, large. Panicle loosely 

 few-flowered. 



