196 



GRAMINEAE. 



70. KORYCARPUS Zea, Act. Matrit. 1806. 

 [DIARIXA Raf. Journ. Bot. 2; 169. 1809.] 

 [DIARRHENA Beauv. Agrost 142. 1812.] 



Erect grasses, with long flat leaves and narrow paniculate or racemose inflorescence. 

 Spikelets 3-5-flowered, the rachilla readily disarticulating between the flowers. Upper scales 

 empty, convolute. Two lower scales empty, the first narrow, 3-nerved, acute, the second 

 broader, 5-nerved; flowering scales broader than the lower ones, acuminate or mucronate, 

 rounded on the back, finally coriaceous and shining, 3-nerved. Palet 2-keeled. Stamens 2, 

 rarely i. Styles short, distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain beaked, free. [Greek, in allu- 

 sion to the beaked grain.] 



Two known species, the following North American, the other Japanese. 



i. Korycarpus diandrus (Michx.) Kuntze. 



(Fig. 449.) 

 1803. 



American Korycarpus. 



Festuca diandra Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i: 67. pi. 10. 

 Korycarpus arundinaceus Zea, Act. Matrit. 1806. 

 Diarrhena Americana Beauv. Agrost. 142. pi. 25. f. n. 



1812. 

 Korycarpus diandrus Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 772. 1891. 



Culms 1)4 -4 tall, erect, simple, very rough below the 

 panicle. Sheaths overlapping, confined to the lower 

 part of the culm, smooth or a little rough at the summit, 

 sometimes pubescent; ligule very short; leaves 8 / -24 / 

 long, s"-<) 7/ wide, long-acuminate at the apex, usually 

 scabrous; panicle often reduced to a raceme, 2 / ~7^ / in 

 length, the branches erect, I'-a' long; spikelets 3-5- 

 flowered, 6"-S" long, the lower scales unequal, the first 

 shorter than the second, which is much exceeded by the 

 spikelet; flowering scales somewhat abruptly acuminate; 

 palets shorter than the scales and exceeded by the 

 beaked grain. 



In rich woods, Ohio to Kansas, south to Georgia, Tennes- 

 see and the Indian Territory. Aug. -Sept. 



71. PLEUROPOGON R. Br. App. Parry's Voy. 289. 1824. 



Erect grasses with flat leaves and racemose inflorescence. Spikelets 5-i4-flowered; 

 flowers perfect, or the upper staminate. Two lower scales empty, unequal, thin-membran- 

 ous, i-nerved, or the second imperfectly 3-nerved; flowering scales longer, membranous, 

 7-nerved, the middle nerve excurrent as a short point or awn. Palet scarcely shorter than 

 the scale, 2-keeled, the keels winged or appendaged. Stamens 3. Styles short. Stigmas 

 plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scale and palet. [Greek, side-beard, from the append- 

 ages to the palets.] 



Three known species, the following arctic, the others Californian. 



i. Pleuropogon Sabinii R. Br. Sabine's 

 Pleuropogon. (Fig. 450.) 



Pleuropogon Sabinii R. Br. App. Parry's Voy. 289. 

 1824. 



Smooth, culms 6' or less tall, erect, simple, 

 glabrous. Sheaths one or two; ligule \" long; 

 leaves % f -\ f long, erect, glabrous; raceme i / -2 / 

 in length; spikelets 3-6, 5-8-flowered, about 5" 

 long, on spreading or reflexed pedicels i" or 

 less in length; lower scales smooth, the first 

 acute, shorter than the obtuse second; flowering 

 scales oblong, 2 // -2j // long, erose-truncate at 

 the scarious summit, scabrous, the midnerve 

 sometimes excurrent as a short point; palet 

 slightly shorter than the scale, truncate and 

 somewhat 2-toothed at the apex, bearing an awn- 

 like appendage on each keel near the middle. 



Arctic regions of both the Old World and the 

 New. Summer. 



