GRASS FAMILY. 



197 



72. UNIOLA L. Sp. PI. 71. 1753. 



Erect and often tall grasses w,ith flat or convolute leaves and paniculate inflorescence, 

 Spikelets 3-many-flowered, flat, 2-edged, the flowers perfect, or the upper *** *Mlt 

 Scales flattened, keeled, sometimes winged, rigid, usually acute; the lower 3-6 empty, 

 equal; the flowering scales many-nerved, the uppermost scales oAcn smaller and empty; 

 palets rigid, 2-keeled. Stamens 1-3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain com- 

 pressed, free, loosely enclosed in the scale and palet. [Name diminutive of num. one, of DO 

 obvious application.] 



About 8 species, natives of America. Besides the following:, a other* occur in the 

 United States. 



I. {/. 



Spikelets about X' in length; panicle spike-like. 



Spikelets exceeding 1 A' in length; panicle open. 



Panicle lax, the branches pendulous; spikelets on long capillary pedicel*. t. U. l*/i 

 Panicle strict, the branches erect, rigid; spikelets on short stout pcdicrU. j. U. 



i. Uniola laxa (I,.) B.S.P. Slender Spike-grass. 



Holcus laxus L. Sp. PI. 1048. 1753. 

 Uniola gracilis Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1:71. 



1803. 

 Uniola laxa B. S. P. Prel. Cat. N. Y. 69. 1888. 



Smooth and glabrous, culms i^-4 

 tall, erect, simple, slender. Sheaths 

 shorter than the internodes; ligule very 

 short; leaves s'-is' long, i // -3 // wide, 

 usually erect, flat, attenuate into a long 

 tip, smooth or slightly rough ; pan- 

 icle spike-like, 4 / -i2 / in length, erect, 

 strict, or nodding at the summit, the 

 branches erect, i'-2' long; spikelets 

 short-stalked or nearly sessile, 3-6- 

 flowered, about 3" long; lower scales 

 much shorter than the flowering ones, 

 which are i>^ // -2 // long, acuminate, 

 spreading in fruit; palet arched, about 

 two-thirds as long as the scale; stamen i. 



Sandy soil, Long Island to Pennsylvania 

 and Kentucky, south to Florida and Texas, 

 mostly near the coast. Ascends to 900 ft. in 

 North Carolina. Aug.-Sept. 



. ; 



2. Uniola latifdlia Michx Broad- 

 leaved Spike-grass. (Fig. 452.) 



Uniola laiifolia Michx. PI. Bor. Anr I: 70. 



1803. 



Culms 2-5 tall, erect, simple, smooth 

 and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the in- 

 ternodes; ligule tf " long. Ucerate-loothed; 

 leaves 4'-9' long, %'-\' wide, Bat, narrow 

 into a somewhat rounded, often ciliate base, 

 acuminate at the apex, smooth, excepting OB 

 the margins; panicle lax, sX' "*** 



its branches filiform and pendulous, tfet 

 lower 2'-s / long; spikeleU many-flow****, 

 oblong to ovate, *'-!*' long, OD long cap- 

 illary pendulous pedicels; lower scale* oc 

 smaller than the flowering one*, wWch are 

 4 ^//_6" long, ciliate-hispid on the winged 

 keel; stamen i. 



In moist place*. Penn*ylvaniii to 

 Kansas, south to Florida and f 

 to 2000 ft in North Carolina. A 



