Uniola. GRAMINE^. 473 



39. UNIOLA. Linn.; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 424. spike-GRASS. 



[Probably so named, because the lower flowers of the spikelets consist of a single palea.] 



Spikelets compressed, ancipital, many-flowered ; one or more of the lower flowers sterile, 

 and consisting of a single palea. Glumes keeled. Paleas of the perfect flowers 2, mem- 

 branaceo-coriaceous ; the lower one boat-shaped ; the upper smaller, doubly-keeled. 

 Stamens 1-3. Stigmas simply plumose, elongated. Caryopsis smooth. — Erect peren- 

 nial grasses. Spikelets panicled. 



1. Uniola gracilis, Michx. Slender Spike-grass. 



Panicle elongated, racemose ; spikelets 3 - 4-flowered ; the flowers spreading, monandrous. 



— Michx. Jl.\. p.l\\ Pursh, fl.\.p.82; Ell. sk. 1 . p. 168 ; Muhl. gram. p. 157 ; Torr. 



ft. 1. p. 105 ; Beck, hot. p. 412 ; Trin. in act. Petrop. 6 ser. 1. p. 360 ; Kunth, "gram. 



1. p. 321. t. 72," ex enum. 1. p. 425. Holcus laxus, Linn. sp. 2. p. 1048 ; Willd. sp. 4. 



p. 934. 



Rhizoma creeping. Culms cespitose, 3-4 feet high, slender, a little compressed, leafy. 

 Leaves a foot or more long, 2 — 3 lines wide, attenuated to a fine point, flat, smooth : sheaths 

 hairy at the throat : ligule very short, ciliate. Panicle 6-10 inches long, very slender, with 

 solitary remote appressed branches. Spikelets acute at the base, 2 - 3 at the extremity of 

 each branch ; the flowers spreading. Glumes acute, rigid. Lower palea ovate, with a long 

 acumination, ciliolate on the margin ; the upper shorter. Stamen solitary : anthers dark 

 purple. Styles elongated : stigmas purple. Caryopsis rugose, dark brown. 



Borders of sandy swamps near the salt water ; Long Island. Fl. August. 



Tribe X.* HORDEACE^. Kunth. 



Spikelets 3 - many-flowered {rarely one-flowered), often awned ; the terminal flower imper- 

 fect. Glumes and palem 2, herbaceous ; the former rarely wanting. Stigmas sessile. 

 Ovary often hairy. — Inflorescence in a simple solitary spike ; the rachis rarely jointed. 



* The following Tribes and Genera were omitted in the Conspectus (page 415). 



Tribe 10. HORDEACEjE. Spikelets sessile on a rachis, many-flowered ; upper flower imperfect. 



40. LoLiUM. Spikelets many-flowered, distichous, solitary, contrary to the rachis. Inner glume wanting. 



41 . Triticum. Spikelets solitary, many-flowered. Glumes 2, opposite. 



43. Eltmus. Spikelets 2-4 together, 2 - 7-flowered. Glumes both on one side of the spikelet ; sometimes rudimentary. 



Tribe 11. ANDROPOGONEjE. Spikelets in pairs, one-flowered ; the lower one incomplete, on a bearded pedicel. 

 Faleffi mostly hyaline. — Habit various. 

 43. Andhopogon. Lower flower staminate or neuter; the glumes and palesB often wanting. Upper flower perfect. 

 Glumes awnless. Lower palea awned. — Flowers panicled or in spikes. 



[Flora — Vol. 2.] 60 



