GRASS FAMILY. 



- 



74. BRIZA 



. Sp. PI. 70. 1753. 



Annual or perennial grasses, with flat or convolute leaves and open or rarely contracted 

 panicles. Spikelets large, flattened, tumid, many-flowered, nodding, thr flower* perfect 

 Scales thin-membranous, strongly concave, the 2 lower empty, 3 s-nerved. somewhat un- 

 equal; flowering scales imbricated, broader than the empty ones, 5 many-nerved: npperoMMt 

 scales often empty; palets much shorter than the scales, hyaline, 2 keeled or J nerved 

 Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain usually free, enclosed in the scale 

 and palet. [Greek name for some grain, perhaps rye.] 



About 12 species, natives of the Old World and temperate South America. 



Perennial: ligiile 1 A" long or less, truncate; spikelets 5-ia-flowcred, 2"-a V Jour. 

 Annual; ligule i" long or more, acute; spikelets 3-6-flowered, i"-itf" long. 



I Hfft . 



i. Briza media I,. Quake-grass. Quaking Grass. < Fig. 455.)' 



Briza media I,. Sp. PI. 70. 1753. 



Smooth and glabrous, culms 6'-2 tall, erect, 

 from a perennial root, simple. Sheaths shorter 

 than the internodes; ligule W long or less, 

 truncate; leaves i'-3' long, i"-2%" wide; pan- 

 icle i^ / -5 / in length, the capillary branches 

 spreading or ascending, i / -2^ / long; spikelets 

 2 / '-2)^ // long, orbicular to deltoid -ovate, 5-12- 

 flowered; scales scarious-margined, the lower 

 ones about i // long; flowering scales i f/ - 

 i^ // long, broader than the lower ones, widely 

 spreading. 



In fields and waste places, Ontario to Massachu- 

 setts and Rhode Island. Naturalized from Europe. 

 Native also of Asia. June-July. 



2. Briza minor L. Lesser Quaking 

 Grass. (Fig. 456.) 



Briza minor L,. Sp. PI. 70. 



Smooth and glabrous, culms 4'-'S' ul1 

 from an annual root, simple. Sheath* shorter 

 than the internodes; liguli- >ng. acute; 



leaves i'-5' long, \"-\" wide, sometime* tc*- 

 brous; panicle a'-5' in length, open, the capil- 

 lary branches spreading or a* 

 long; spikelets j-o-flowercd, long. 



about 2" broad, truncate at the bwe; scale* 

 scarious-margined, the lower one* abut t" 

 long; flowering scales much broader and deeply 

 saccate, about %" long. 



In ballast and waste places about Cratden 

 common in California, and widely d 

 tropical America. Advciuiw or natnralw 

 Enrop*". Junt-lulv 



