34 THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 



Genus GLYCERIA, R. Brown. 



Gly-ce'-ri-a. 



From the Greek, glukeros, sweet, in allusion to the sweetish taste 

 of the grain. 



Spikelets cylindrical (terete) or flattened, several to many-flowered 

 in a narrow or diffuse panicle, the rhachis smooth and readil}' dis- 

 articulating between the flowers. Glumes shorter than the flowers, 

 unequal in length, membranaceous, from one to three-nerved and 

 without awns ; flowering glumes obtuse, awnless, more or less hyaline 

 and denticulate at the apex, rounded (never keeled) on the back, 

 from five to nine-nerved, the nerves separate and all vanishing 

 before reaching the apex ; palea about as long as its glume, two- 

 keeled, entire or two- toothed at the apex. 



The Maine species may be separated by means of the following 

 table : 



f Leaves involute (the edges rolled in) ; growing in salt 



1 4 marshes G. marithna. 



[ Leaves flat ; not growing in salt places 2 



2 f Spikelets ovate, oblong or linear-oblong 4 



( Spikelets long and narrow 3 



( Flowering glume obtuse, rather longer than the palea 



3 -j G. fluitans. 

 ( Flowering glume acute, shorter than the palea, G. acutiftora. 



. ( Panicle open and spreading. 

 ( Panicle long and slim 



g ( Spikelets three or four-flowered G. elongata. 



\ Spikelets six or seven-flowered G . obtusa. 



( Flowering glume acute or blunt-pointed, longer than the 



6 ? rounded palea . G. Canadensis. 



( Flowering glume truncate-obtuse ; palea two-toothed 7 



r. ( Stems from three to five feet high ; leaves large, G. aquatica. 

 \ Stems from one to three feet high ; leaves medium 8 



g C Spikelets numerous, bright green G. nervata. 



{ Spikelets usually few, pale green G. pattida. 



