ORDER CXL. GRAMINE.E GRASS-FAMILY. 



217 



short pedicels, much crowded ; flowers slightly downy near the apex. A low, 

 annual species, 8' 6' high, common every where, especially In cultivated 

 grounds and around dwellings, and forming a short, soft turf. May Nov. An. 



2. P. serotina. 



False Red-top. 



Culm round, slender, smooth ; leaves linear, flat ; ligules long, conspicuous ; 

 panicle large, very diffuse* on a long peduncle; branches slender, in half- 

 whorls of fours or fives, rough, branching and numerously-flowered above ; 

 spikelets 2 3-flowered, on short pedicels, greenish, mostly yellow at tip, often 

 tinged with purple; glumes lanceolate, very acute; flowers webbed only at 

 base. A very slender and rather tall species, 23 ft high ; common in mea- 

 dows and along streams. June July. 



3. P. trivialis. 



Rough Meadow-Grass. 



Culm erect, terete, somewhat rough; leaves rough on the margin, with 

 rather rough sheaths ; ligule long, acute ; panicle pyramidal, diffuse ; branches 

 In half-whorls of 45 ; spikelets 2 3-flowered, nearly sessile, densely crowded 

 on the branches ; flowers webbed at base. A valuable grass, 2 3 ft. high ; 

 common in meadows and pastures ; introduced. July. 



4. P. pratensis. 



Meadow-Grass. 



Culm erect, round, smooth ; leaves with smooth sheaths; ligules short, trun- 

 cate; panicle pyramidal, diffuse ; branches spreading, in half- whorls of 4 5; 

 gpikelets 8^5-flowered, nearly sessile, densely crowded on the branches. A 

 very valuable pasture-grass, naturalized and growing every where, resembling 

 the last, but distinguished by its smooth culm and sheaths, and short, truncate 

 ligule. Culm 13 ft high. May July. 



5. P. compressa. 



Blue-Grass. 



Culms compressed, ascending from a creeping base ; leaves linear, short, 

 deep bluish-green ; lignle short, truncate ; panicle contracted and dense, some- 

 what secund; branches short, 2 3 together in half-whorls, crowded through 

 nearly their whole length, with the nearly sessile, 3 T-flowered, compressed 

 spikelets; flowers webby at base. A slender species, 6' 15' high, common in 

 tufts, distinguished by its slender, compressed culm, and bluish-green aspect 

 June July. 



16. ERAGRtfSTIS. 



Spikelets 2 40-flowered, compressed, in an open panicle. 

 Glumes mostly shorter than the flowers. Lower palea not web- 

 bed at base, 3-nerved. Upper palea persistent after the rest of 

 the flower has fallen. 



1. E. megastachya. 



Spear-Grass. 



Culm branching at base, spreading or decumbent; leaves flat, smooth; 

 panicle pyramidal ; branches usually naked on the axils ; spikelets very large, 

 oblong or ovate-oblong, 6 30-flowered, of a dark, almost lead-color, with short 

 pedicels. A very showy grass, naturalized and rather common in sandy fields, 

 distinguished by its strong and rather unpleasant odor. Culm iO' 20' high. 

 Aug. An. 



2. E. capillaris. Slender Spear-Grass. 



Culms slender, simple, tufted ; leaves flat, smooth, the sheaths often hairy ; 

 panicle very large and delicate, with diffuse, capillary branches, naked in the 

 axils ; spikelets 2 4-flowered, on long, filiform pedicels. A very delicate spe- 

 cie^ i_2 ft. high, with a very large, compound, capillary panicle. Common 

 in sandy fields. Aug. An. 



3. E. spectabilis. 



Showy Spear-Grass. 



Culm simple, tufted, smooth, erect; leaves long, rigid, mostly smooth; 

 lower sheaths more or less pubescent, sometimes smooth : panicle very large, 

 capillary ; branches spreading, rigid, at length reflexed, usually bearded in the 

 axils ; spikelets oblong or oblong-linear, 7 10-flowered, purplish ; lateral ones 

 on appressed pedicels of their own length. A slender species with a long, ca- 

 pillary panicle, distinguished from the last by its more numerously-flowered 

 spikelets and bearded axils. Culm 1 8 ft high. AugSep. An. 



17. FESTtTCA. 



Spikelets 3 10-flowered, in open or racemose panicles. 

 Flowers not webbed at base. Glumes unequal, usually carinate. 

 Palese rounded on the back, entire, acute, and often awned at 

 apex. Upper palea usually adhering to the ripe caryopsis. 

 Stamens mostly 3. 



28 



1. F. tenella. Slender Fescue-Grass. 



Culm very slender, wiry, mostly simple ; leaves very narrow ; panicle sim- 

 ple, with racemose branches, contracted so as to resemble a spike ; spikeleta 

 6 S-flowered ; palea subulate, tipped with an awn shorter than itself. A very 

 slender grass with fine, setaceous leaves, 6' 12' high. Common in dry soils 

 and along road-sides. June July. 



2. F. elatior. Tall Fescue-Grass. 



Culm smooth, erect ; leaves broad-linear; panicle open, loosely branching, 

 with spreading, drooping branches ; spikelets crowded, 4 6-flowered ; lower 

 palea awnless. A tall grass, 2 4 ft. high, rather common in meadows and pas- 

 tures. June. Per. 



3. F. pratensis. Meadow Fescue-Grass. 



Culm erect, smooth ; leaves linear ; panicle open, with mostly simple, 

 drooping branches, somewhat secund ; spikelets 6 11-flowered ; lower palea 

 acute, awnless. A valuable grass, much resmbling the last, and of which it la 

 probably a variety. Common in meadows and pastures. Culm 2 3 ft high. 

 June July. Per. 



18. BE6MTJS. 



Spikelets 5 15-flowered, panicled. Glumes unequal, shorter 

 than the flower, nerved. Lower palea convex or somewhat cari- 

 nate on the back, mostly bifid at apex, with an awn proceeding 

 from below the tip. Upper palea convolute, at length adhering 

 to the caryopsis at the groove. Stamens 8. 



1. B. secalinus. Chess. 



Culm smooth, erect; leaves flat, rough above, with margins and sheaths 

 smooth ; panicle spreading, with branches nearly simple, drooping ; spikelets 

 ovate, cylindrical, tumid, smooth, about 10-flowered ; awn of the lower palea 

 usually shorter than the spikelet A coarse grass with a showy panicle ; very 

 common and troublesome In wheat and other grain fields. Culm 2 3 ft. high. 

 June. An. 



2. B. ciliatus. Brome-Grass. 



Culm erect, smooth or hairy, slender; leaves broad, linear, flat, large, smooth 

 or hairy ; sheaths usually densely pubescent near the top ; panicle very loose, 

 compound; branches long, at length divergent, drooping; spikelets 712- 

 flowered ; lower glume 1-nerved ; upper glume 3-nerved ; flowers tipped with 

 awns more than half their own length ; upper palea ciliate with stiff bristles 

 lower palea varying from nearly smooth to silky-pubescent over its whole sur- 

 face. A very coarse, variable grass, common in moist and rocky woodlands. 

 Culm 2 4 ft high. July Aug. Per. 



19. PRAGMITES. 



Spikelets 3 8-flowered. Flowers with tufts of white, silky 

 hairs at base. Lower flower either neutral, or with a single 

 stamen ; the others perfect with 3 stamens. Glumes 2, shorter 

 than the flowers, carinate, very unequal. Lower palea subulate, 

 more than twice as long as the upper. Per. 



1. P. communis. 



Water-Reed. 



Culm erect, smooth, very stont ; leaves very long, broad-lanceolate, glau- 

 cous; panicle very large, loosely branched, at length diffuse ; branches in half 

 whorls, erect, spreading, slender ; spikelets 3 5-flowered, erect A tall, rank, 

 aquatic grass, found on the borders of ponds and streams, growing 6 10 ft. 

 high. At a distance it somewhat resembles a field of Indian-corn. July Aug. 



20. TRlTICUM. 



Spikelets 3 8-flowered, spicate, each attached to a separate 

 joint of the rachis. Glumes 2, nearly equal, opposite, ovate. 

 Palese 2 ; lower one awned or mucronate at tip, convex on the 

 back ; upper compressed, ciliate on the nerves. Stamens 3. 



1. T. vulgare. 



Wheat. 



Culm erect, terete, smooth ; leaves linear, somewhat rough above ; spike 

 somewhat 4-sided; spikelets crowded, about 4-flowered; glumes ventricose; 

 awns longer than the flower. The most valuable species of grain cultivated. 

 There are many varieties, in the appearance of the seed, mode of growth, length 

 of the awns, &c., which arefbundin cultivation. Culm 2 4ft high. June. 

 An. 



