THE GRASSES OP MAINE. 29 



Genus STIPA, Linneus. 



From the Greek, stupe, a featheiy material, in allusion to some 

 of the beautifully feathered awns in some of the species. 



Spikelets one-flowered. Glumes membranaceous. shorter than 

 the flowering glume, and without awns : flowering glume somewhat 

 coriaceous or leathery, with a long, twisted awn at its apex. Sta- 

 mens mostly three. Only one species has thus far been reported in 

 this State. 



20. STIPA RICHARDSONII, Link. 



Sti'-pa Iticli-ard-so'-ni-i. 



Common Name. Richardson's Feather. 



Stern erect, from eighteen inches to two feet high ; leaves slender. 

 Panicle loose, from four to five inches long, with slender, few- 

 flowered branches ; glumes nearly equal in length, oblong acute, 

 two and one-half lines long, about equal in length to the pubescent, 

 linear-oblong flowering glume, which bears a twisted awn from half 

 to three-fourths of an inch long. Reported by C. J. Sprague as 

 occurring on Pleasant Mountain, near Sebago Lake. 



This grass is said to be worthless as a forage plant. 



Genus SPARTINA, Schreber. 

 Spar-ti'-na. 



From the Greek, spartine, a cord; in allusion to the cord-like 

 appearance of these grasses. 



Panicle composed of several separate, triangular spikes, along 

 one side of which the one-flowered spikelets are arranged. Glumes 

 strongly compressed, with a rough, bristly keel, unequal in length 

 and without awns; flowering glume membranaceous, compressed, 

 keeled but without an awn ; palea nearly as long as the flowering 

 glume, and with two keels. 



Three species are reported in this State, which may be separated 

 as follows : 



( Spikelets closely overlapping each other and veiy rough on 

 , I the keels ................................ ". ........ 2 



1 Spikelets scarcely overlapping and nearly smooth on the 

 t keels ......... " ...................... .* ...... S. stricta. 



