2OO 



GRAMINEAE. 



75. DACTYLIS L. Sp. PL 7'- '753- 



A tall perennial grass, with flat leaves and paniculate inflorescence. Spikelets 3-5-flow- 

 ered, short-pedicelled, in dense capitate clusters, the flowers perfect or the upper staminate. 

 Two' lower scales empty, thin-membranous, keeled, unequal, mucronate; flowering scales 

 larger than the empty ones, rigid, 5-nerved, keeled, the midnerve extended into a point or 

 short awn; palets shorter than the scales, 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas 

 plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scale and palet. [Name used by Pliny for some grass 

 with finger-like spikes]. 



A monotypic genus of Europe and Asia. 



i. Dactylis glomerata I,. Orchard 

 Grass. (Fig. 457.) 



Dactylis glomerata L. Sp. PI. 71. 1753- 



Culms 2-4 tall, tufted, erect, simple, smooth 

 and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the inter- 

 nodes, smooth or rough; ligule i // -2 // long; 

 leaves s'-o/ long, i // -3 // wide, flat, scabrous; 

 panicle s'-S' in length, the branches spreading 

 or ascending in flower, erect in fruit, the lower 

 i / -2^ / long, spikelet-bearing from above or be- 

 low the middle; spikelets in dense capitate clus- 

 ters, 3-5-flowered; lower scales i-3-nerved, the 

 first shorter than the second; flowering scales 

 2 //_y/ long, rough, pointed or short-awned, 

 ciliate on the keel. 



In fields and waste places, New Brunswick to 

 Manitoba, south to South Carolina and Kansas. 

 Naturalized from Europe and cultivated for fodder. 

 June-July. 



76. CYNOSURUS L. Sp. PI. 72. 1753. 



Annual or perennial tufted grasses, with flat leaves and dense spike-like inflorescence. 

 Spikelets of two kinds, in small clusters; lower spikelets of the clusters consisting of nar- 

 row empty scales, with a continuous rachilla, the terminal spikelets of 2-4 broader scales, 

 with an articulated rachilla and subtending perfect flowers. Two lower scales in the fertile 

 spikelets empty, i-nerved, the flowering scales broader, i-3-nerved, pointed or short-awned; 

 upper scales narrower, usually empty. Scales of the sterile spikelets pectinate, spreading, 

 all empty, linear-subulate, i-nerved. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, short. Stigmas loosely 

 plumose. Grain finally adherent to the palet. [Greek, signifying dog's tail, referring to 

 the spike.] 



About 5 species, natives of the Old World. 



i. Cynosurus cristatus I,. Dog's-tail 

 Grass. (Fig. 458.) 



Cynosurus cristatus L. Sp. PI. 72. 1753. 



Culms i-2^ tall, erect, slender, simple, smooth 

 and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the internodes; 

 ligule Yz" long, truncate; leaves ij^'-s' long, y^'-i" 

 wide, smooth, glabrous; spike-like panicle 2 / -4 / in 

 length, 2 #"-6" wide, long-exserted; spikelets ar- 

 ranged in clusters, the terminal fertile, the lower 

 larger and sterile; scales of the former about \y-t" 

 long, pointed or short-awned, the scales of the sterile 

 spikelets very narrow, pointed, strongly scabrous on 

 thekeeL 



In fields and waste places, Quebec and Ontario to south- 

 ern New York and New Jersey. Adventive from Europe. 

 June-Aug. 



