GRASS FAMILY. 



64. MOLINIA Schrank, Baier. Fl. i: 100. 1789. 

 A perennial tufted grass, with narrow flat leaves and paniculate inflorescence. 

 -4-flowered. Two lower scales empty, somewhat obtuse or acute, unequal, shorter t'ha~n the 

 spikelet; flowering scales membranous, rounded on the back, 3-nerved; palets scarcely shorter 

 than the scales, obtuse, 2-k eel ed. Stamens 3. Styles short. Stigmas short, pi umose. Gala 

 oblong, free, enclosed in the scale and palet. [Name in honor of Job. Ignaz Moliai 

 '--- ionary and naturalist.] 



r 



L monotypic genus of Europe and Asia. 



Molinia coerulea (L,.) Moench. 

 (Fig. 427.) 



Molinia. 



Aira coerulea L- Sp. PI. 63. 1753. 

 Molinia coerulea Moench, Meth. 183. 



1794. 



? 



hai 



Culms i-3> tall, erect, simple, smooth and glabrous. 



eaths overlapping and confined to the lower part of the 

 m, smooth and glabrous; ligule a ring of very short 



irs; leaves 4 / -i long or more, i // -3 // wide, erect, acu- 

 minate, smooth beneath, slightly scabrous above; panicle 

 3'-io' in length, green or purple, the branches usually 

 erect, \'-\' long; spikelets 2-4-flowered, 2^ // ~4" long; 

 empty scales acute, unequal; flowering scales about i" 

 long, 3-nerved, obtuse. 



Sparingly introduced on ballast and in waste places in New 

 York. Adventive from Europe. Aug. -Sept. 



65. ERAGROSTIS Beauv. Agrost. 70. pi. 14. f. //. 1812. 



Annual or perennial grasses, rarely dioecious, from a few inches to several feet in height, 

 the spikelets in contracted or open panicles. Spikelets 2-many- flowered, more or lea* flat- 

 tened. Two lower scales empty, unequal, shorter than the flowering ones, keeled, i -nerved, 

 or the second 3-nerved; flowering scales membranous, keeled, 3-nerved; palets shorter than 

 the scales, prominently 2-nerved or 2- keeled, usually persisting on the rachilla after the fruit- 

 ing scale has fallen. Stamens 2 or 3. Styles distinct, short Stigmas plumose. Grain free. 

 loosely enclosed in the scale and palet. [Greek etymology doubtful, perhaps signifying a 

 low grass, or Love-grass, an occasional English name.] 



A genus of about 100 species, widely distributed throughout all warm and temperate coaatrks. 

 Besides the following, some 15 others occur in the southern and western parts of North America. 



Culms often decumbent at the base and generally much branched, I ) tall or less. 

 Spikelets 2-5-flowered, i"-iH" long. 



Culms branched only at the very base; pedicels and branches of the panicle long 4 



capillary. m/i/ 



Culms branched above the base; pedicels and branches of the panicle short. 



/'mutt i 



Spikelets 5-many-flowered, i'A"-S" long. 

 Spikelets Ji wide or less. 



Flowering scales thin, usually bright purplish, the lateral nerves faint 



spikelets about I A" wide. 

 Flowering scales firm, usually dull purple or green, the lateral nerves 



spikelets about K" wide. 

 Spikelets i" wide or more. 



Lower flowering scales about K" long; spikelets I ^ 

 Lower flowering scales i"-i #" long; spikelets itf -I 

 Culms erect or ascending, simple, rigid, iH-4 tall. 

 Spikelets not clustered. 



Branches of the open panicle widely spreading, at least when ol 

 Spikelets closely sessile. 

 Spikelets more or less pedicelled. 



Pedicels long, commonly at least the length <>f the spikeU 

 Pedicels commonly much shorter than the spikelets. 



Leaves elongated; branches of the panicle long and Mcnc 



6 2^-flowcrc<I 

 Leaves not elongated; branches of the panicle short and a 



crowded, 5-i2-flowered. 

 Branches of the elongated panicle erect or ascending, capill 



Spikelets clustered on the very short erect or ascending branches. 



Culms extensively creeping; flowers dioecious. 



wide. 



wide. 





