GRAMINEAE. 



x. Danthonia spicata (I,.) Beauv. Common Wild Oat-grass. (Fig. 397.) 



1817. 



Avena spicata I,. Sp. PI. 80. 1753. 

 Danthonia spicata Beauv.; R. & S. Syst. 2: 690. 



Culms i-2^ tall, erect, simple, smooth and gla- 

 brous, nearly terete. Sheaths shorter than the in- 

 ternodes, glabrous or often sparingly pubescent be- 

 low; ligule very short; leaves rough, \" wide or 

 less, usually involute, the lower 4 / -6 / long, the 

 upper i / -2 / long; inflorescence racemose or pan- 

 iculate, i / -2 / in length, the pedicels and branches 

 erect or ascending; spikelets 5-8-flowered ; empty 

 scales 4 // -5 // long, glabrous; flowering scales 

 broadly oblong, sparingly pubescent with appressed 

 silky hairs, the teeth about y 2 " long, acute or short- 

 pointed, the bent and widely spreading awn closely 

 twisted at the base, loosely so above. 



In dry soil, Newfoundland to Quebec and Dakota, 

 south to North Carolina and Louisiana. Ascends to 

 3000 ft. in Virginia. July-Sept. 



2. Danthonia compressa Austin. Flattened Wild Oat-grass. (Fig. 398.) 



Danthonia compressa Austin; Peck, Kept. Reg. N. Y. 

 State Univ. 22: 54. 1869. 



Danthonia Alleni Austin, Bull. Torr. Club, 3: 21. 1872. 



Culms 1%-$ tall, erect, slender, simple, flattened, 

 smooth and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the inter- 

 nodes; ligule pilose; leaves i // wide or less, rough, lax, 

 the basal from one-third to one-half the length of the 

 culm; lower culm leaves 6 / -8 / long, the upper 3 / -6 / ; 

 panicle open, 2 / I ^ / -4 / in length, the lower branches 

 generally spreading; spikelets 5-io-flowered; empty 

 scales 5 // -6 // long, glabrous; flowering scales oblong, 

 with a ring of short hairs at base, pubescent with ap- 

 pressed silky hairs, the awn erect or somewhat bent, 

 strongly twisted below, slightly so above, the teeth 

 \"-\Y^' f long, acuminate, awned. 



In woods, Maine and Vermont to North Carolina and 

 Tennessee. Ascends to 6000 ft. in North Carolina. July- 

 Sept. 



Danthonia sericea Nutt. Silky Wild Oat-grass. (Fig. 399.) 



Danthonia sericea Nutt. Gen. i: 71. iSiS. 



Culms i j^-3 tall, simple, glabrous. Sheaths shorter 

 than the internodes, usually villous; ligule pilose; 

 leaves rough and more or less villous, i // -i^ // wide, 

 the basal one-quarter to one-half the length of the 

 culm, usually flexuous, those of the culm i'~4 f long, 

 erect; panicle 2%'-4*4' in length, contracted, the 

 branches erect or ascending; spikelets 4-io-flowered; 

 empty scales 7 // -8 // long, glabrous; flowering scales 

 oblong, strongly pubescent with long silky hairs, the 

 awn erect or somewhat bent, closely twisted below, 

 loosely so above, the teeth i"-i>" long, acuminate, 

 awned. 



In dry sandy soil, Massachusetts to New Jersey, south 

 to Florida. May-July. 



