642 GRAMINE^. (grass FAMILV). 



4. A. CARYOPH VLLEA, L. Culms 5'- 10' liiyli, bearing; a reri; dijfitsp panicle 

 of purplish and at Icn^tli si/ven/ srurious spikekts. — Dry lickls, >;aiuiickit : also 

 Kewcabtle, Delaware, IF. ^1/. Caiiby. (Nut. from Eu.) 



§3. VAIILODEA, Fries. Glumes boal-shuped, longer than the ^flowers: lower 

 paltt almost coriaceous, nerveless, its triinratt-obtuse tip mostly entire ; the awn 

 borne (it or aliore till- mulillf : (/niin r;ii/ui('(l,jhtllinh,/ne: alpine perennial. 



5. A. atropurptirea, Wnhl. ('iilms 8'-15' high, weak; leaves flat, 

 lather wide; paiiielc of lew spreading hranelies ; awn stout, twice the length of 

 the palet. — Alpine tops of the White Mountains, and those of Northern New 

 York. Aug. (Eu.) 



52. ARRHENATHERUM, Bcauv. Oat-Grass. (PI. 12.) 



Spikelets opcn-paniclcd, aflowercd, witli the rudiment of a third flower; the 

 middle flower perfect, it.s lower palet harely bristle-pointed from near the tip; 

 the lowest flower staminatc only, bearing a long bent awn below the midillc of 

 the back (whence the name, irom (ipprjv, mnsciiline, and adi)j), awn) : — otlur- 

 •wise as in Avcna, of which it is only a peculiar modification. 



1. A. avenXceum, Beauv. Root perennial; euhn 2° -4° high: leaves 

 broad, flat; panicle elongated; glumes scarious, very unequal. (Avenaelatior, 

 L.) — Meadows and lots: absurdly called Grass of the Andes. May -July. 

 (Xat. from Eu.) 



53. HOLCUS, L. (partly). Meadow Sokt-Grass. (PI. 1.3.) 



Spikelets crowded in an ojicn panicle, 2-flowered, jointed with the pedicels', 

 the boat-shaped membranaceous glumes enclosing and much exceeding the rc- 

 motish flowers. Lower flower perfect, its papery or thin-coriaceous lower palet 

 awnless and ])ointless; the ujjpcr (lower staminatc, otherwise similar, but bear- 

 ing a stout bent awn below the apex. Stamens 3. Styles plumose to the base. 

 Grain free. (An ancient name, from 6\k6s, atiractire, of obscure application.) 



1. H. lan.Vtis, L. (Velvet-Grass.) Perennial, soft-downy and ].alc; 

 panicle oblong; uppci" glume mucronate-awned under the apc.\ ; awn of the 

 staminatc flower curved. — ]\Ioist meadows. June. (Xat. from lui.) 



54. HIEROCHLOA, Gmdiu. IIolv C;ua.ss. (PL l.-,.) 



Spikelets 3-flowered, opcn-paniclcd ; the flowers all with 2 ])alcts ; the two 

 lower (lateral) flowers stauiinatc only, .3-androus, sessile, often awncd on the 

 middle of the liack or ucar tlictij); llic ujjijcnnost (middle) one perfect, sliort- 

 pedicclled, .scarcely as long as the others, 2-androus, awnless. Glumes ccjualling 

 or exceeding the spikclet, scarious : ])alets chartaceous. — Perennials : leaves 

 flat. (Name com]>osed of upoi, samd, and X'^<'"> fj''""" •' these sweet-scented 

 Grasses being strcM'u before the clnirch-doors on saintti' days, in the Xor'.h of 

 Europe.) 



1. H. borealis, Tlocm. & Schultcs. (Vami.i.a or Sexeca Grass.) Pan- 

 icle somewhat one-sided, pyramidal (i'-."/ long) ; ))C(luncles smooth ; stauiiuate 

 flowers with the lower jjalet nuicrouate or bristle-pointed at or near the tip; 



