GRAMINEJE. (GRASS FAMILY.) 673 



75. ELYMUS, L. LYME-GRASS. WILD RYE. (PI. 11.) 



Spikelets 2 - 4 at each joint of the rhachis of a terminal spike, all fertile 

 and alike, sessile, each 1 - 7-flowered. Glumes conspicuous, nearly side by 

 side in front of the spikelets, 2 for each spikelet, forming an involucre to the 

 cluster. Flower coriaceous ; the glume rounded on the back, acute or awned 

 at the apex. Grain adherent to the involving glume (whence the name, an 

 ancient one for some grain, from ^Avw, to roll up). 



# Glumes and flowers firm or rigid, all or only the latter awned ; spikelets 1-5- 



flowered ; slender perennials, with rather harsh and broad flat leaves. 

 )- Spike large and stout. 



1. E. VirginiCUS, L. (PI. 11, fig. 1-3.) Culm stout, 2-3 high; spike 

 rigidly upright, dense (2 -3' long, 6" thick), the short peduncle usually included 

 in the sheath; spikelets 2-3 together, 2-3-flowered, smooth, rather short- 

 awned, about the length of the thickened strongly-nerved and bristle-pointed 

 lanceolate glumes. River-banks ; common. Aug. 



2. E. Canadnsis, L. Spike soon nodding (5-9' long), on an exserted 

 peduncle ; spikelets mostly in pairs, of 3 - 5 long-awned rough or rough-hairy 

 flowers; the awl-shaped glumes tipped with shorter awns. Var. GLAUCiF6Lius, 

 Gray, is pale or glaucous throughout, the flowers with more spreading awns 

 (1-J-' long). Var. INTERMEDIUS, Vasey, has the awns scarcely longer than the 

 glumes. River-banks ; common. 



-- - Spike and culm more slender. 



3. E. StriatUS, Willd. More or less pubescent ; spike dense and thickish 

 (2-4 x long), upright or slightly nodding; spikelets mostly in pairs, 1-2- (or 

 rarely 3-) flowered, minutely bristly-hairy ; glumes awl-shaped, bristle-awned, 

 1 - 3-nerved, about thrice the length of the flowers, which are only 3" long ex- 

 clusive of the capillary awn (!' long). Var. viLL6sus, Gray, has very hairy 

 flowers and glumes, and villous sheaths. Rocky woods and banks. July, 

 Aug. 



4. E. SibiriCUS, L., var. AmericanilS. Glabrous; spike wand-like 

 (2-6' long, 2-3" thick), often somewhat nodding; spikelets in pairs, 3 - 6- 

 flowered ; glumes linear-lanceolate, 3 - 5-nerved, acuminate and smooth or often 

 scabrous on the nerves, short-awned, shorter than the flowers, which bear an 

 erect awn of once or twice their length. Marquette, Mich. (Porter), N. Minn., 

 and westward. 



* * Glumes and palet awnless and soft in texture ; reed-like perennials. 



5. E. mollis, Trin. Culm (3 high) velvety at top; spike thick, erect 

 ('8' long) ; spikelets 2 or 3 at each joint, 5 - 8-flowered ; the lanceolate pointed 

 5-7-nerved glumes (!' long) and the pointed flowers soft-villous ; rhachis of 

 the spikelets separating into joints. Shore of the Great Lakes, Maine, and 

 northward. (Near E. arenarius.) 



* * * Empty glumes very narrow, and all very long-awned ; spike disarticu- 



lating at maturity. 



6. E. Sitanion, Schultes. Low (|- 2 high), stout ; spike 1-4' long, the 

 peduncle slightly exserted ; the spreading scabrous awns 2 - 3' long. Central 

 Minn, to Kan., and westward. 



