GRAMINE.E. (GRASS FAMILY.) 667 



acute summit, glabrous, prominently 5 - 7-nerved, the nerves parallel and sep- 

 arate. Squamulae fleshy and truncate, or none. Stamens commonly 2. Styles 

 present ; stigmas compoundly plumose. Ovary smooth. Grain oblong, free, 

 the furrow very narrow or none. Perennial smooth marsh grasses, mostly 

 with creeping bases or rootstocks ; spikelets panicled. (Name from y\vK06s, 

 sweet, in allusion to the taste of the grain.) 



* Spikelets ovate, oblong, or linear- oblong, 1 -3" in length, 

 H- At length nodding in an open panicle, flattish laterally but turgid. 



1. G. Canadensis, Trin. (RATTLESNAKE-GRASS.) Culm stout, 2-3 

 high ; leaves long, roughish ; panicle oblong-pyramidal, at length drooping ; 

 spikelets ovate, at length very broad and tumid, Briza-like, 2" long, pale, with 

 purplish glumes ; flowering glume acute or blunt-pointed, firm, with not very 

 prominent nerves, longer than the rounded palet. Bogs and wet places ; com- 

 mon from Penn. to E. Kan., and northward. July. 



t- - Erect in a narrow contracted panicle, somewhat flattened and turgid. 



2. G. obtiisa, Trin. Culm stout, 1-2 high, very leafy ; leaves long, 

 smooth; panicle narrowly oblong, dense (3 -5' long); spikelets 3-7-flowered, 

 2-3" long; flowering glume obtuse. Bogs, E. New Eng. to Penn. and 

 southward, near the coast. 



3. G. elongata, Trin. Leaves very long (1 or more), rough ,' panicle 

 narrowly racemose, elongated (1 long), recurving ; the branches and 3-4-flow- 

 ered spikelets appressed ; flowering glume obtuse. Wet woods, N. Eng. to 

 Mich., Minn., and northward; Roan Mt., N. C. (Scribner). July- Aug. 



4_ H_ H_ Diffuse ; flower-glume truncate-obtuse, strongly 1 -nerved; palet 2-toothed. 



4. G. nervata, Trin. (FOWL MEADOW-GRASS.) (PI. 10, fig. 1-3.) 

 Culm erect, 1-3 high ; leaves rather long ; branches of the loose panicle 

 capillary, at length drooping, the numerous small spikelets (1 2" long, commonly 

 purplish) ovate-oblong, .3-7-flowered. Moist meadows ; common. June. 



5. G. pallida, Trin. Culms slender, 1-3 long, ascending from a creep- 

 ing base ; leaves short, sharp-pointed, pale ; branches of the rather simple panicle 

 slender, erect-spreading, rough; the spikelets usually few, somewhat appressed, 

 oblong-linear, 5-9-flowered (pale, 2-3" long); flowering glume minutely 5- 

 toothed; the palet lanceolate, conspicuously 2-toothed. Shallow water ; Maine 

 to Va., west to Ky., Ind., and Mich. ; common, especially northward. July. 



6. G. grandis, Watson. (REED MEADOW-GRASS.) Culm stout, up- 

 right, 3-5 high ; leaves large (1 - 2 long, J - \' wide) ; panicle much branched, 

 ample (8-15' long), the numerous branches ascending, spreading with age ; spike- 

 lets oblong or linear-oblong, 3 - 6-flowered (usually purplish, 2 - 3" long) ; flow- 

 ering glume entire. (G. aquatica of Amer. authors.) Wet grounds ; N. Eng. 

 to western N. Y., Mich., Minn., and westward. 



* * Spikelets linear (-- 1' long], pale, appressed on the branches of the long nar- 

 row racemose panicle, terete except during anthesis ; palets minutely roughish, 

 the upper 2-toothed ; squamulce unilateral or united ; ligule long; culm flat- 

 tened (1 -5 high), ascending from a rooting base. (Glyceria, R. Br.) 



7. G. fluitans, R. Br. Pauicle 1 long; the simple branches appressed, 

 finally spreading below ; leaves short and rather broad, very smooth ; spikelets 



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