POACEAE. 39 



2. Leptochloa domingensis (Jacq.) Trin. Fund. Agrost. 133. 1820. 



Cynosurus domingensis Jacq. Misc. Austr. 2: 363. 1781. 

 Leptochloa virgata gracilis Griseb. Fl. Brit. W. I. 538. 1864. 



Perennial, similar to the preceding species, but the leaf -sheaths often more 

 or less hispid and the blades somewhat villous on the upper surface; flowering 

 scales tipped by filiform awns 1-3 mm. long. 



Cultivated grounds and scrub lands, New Providence, Eleuthera, and Great 

 Exuma : Florida ; Mexico ; and the West Indies. SLENDER LEPTOCHLOA. 



30. PHKAGMITES Trin. Fund. Agrost. 134. 1820. 



Tall perennial reed-like grasses, with broad flat leaves and ample panicles. 

 Spikelets 3-several-flowered, the first flower often staminate, the others perfect; 

 rachilla articulated between the flowering scales, long-pilose. Two lower scales 

 empty, unequal, membranous, lanceolate, acute, shorter than the spikelet; the 

 third scale empty or subtending a staminate flower; flowering scales glabrous, 

 narrow, long-acuminate, much exceeding the short palets. Stamens 3. Styles 

 distinct, short. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, loosely enclosed in the scale 

 and palet. [Greek, referring to its hedge-like growth along ditches.] Three 

 known species, the following typical one widely distributed, one in Asia, the 

 third in South America. 



i. Phragmites Phragmites (L.) Karst. Deutsch. Fl. 379. 1881. 



Arundo Phragmites L. Sp. PI. 81. 1753. 



Phragmites communis Trin. Fund. Agrost. 134. 1820. 



Culms 1.5-5 m. tall, erect, stout, from long horizontal rootstocks, smooth 

 and glabrous. Sheaths overlapping, loose; blades 1.5-3 dm. long or more, 8-50 

 mm. wide, flat, smooth, glabrous; panicle 1.5-3 dm. long or more, ample; spike- 

 lets crowded on the ascending branches; first scale 1-nerved, half to two-thirds 

 as long as the 3-nerved second one; flowering scales 1-1.2 cm. long, 3-nerved, 

 long-acuminate, equalling the hairs of the rachilla. 



Marshes, Andros, New Providence, and Watling's Island : Widely distributed in 

 tropical and temperate regions. REED-CEASS. 



31. DIPLACHNE Beauv. Agrost. 80, pi. 16, f. 9. 1812. 



Tufted grasses, with narrow flat leaves and long slender spikes arranged 

 in an open panicle, or rarely only one terminal spike. Spikelets several-flow- 

 ered, narrow, sessile or shortly pedicelled, erect. Two lower scales empty, 

 membranous, keeled, acute, unequal; flowering scales 1-3-nerved, 2-toothed and 

 mucronate or short-awned between the teeth. Palet hyaline, 2-nerved. Stamens 



3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, loosely enclosed in the 

 scale and palet. [Greek, referring to the 2-toothed flowering scales.] About 

 15 species, natives of the warmer regions of both hemispheres, the following 

 typical. 



1. Diplachne fascicularis (Lam.) Beauv. Agrost. 160. 1812. 



Festuca fascicularis Lam. Tabl. Encycl. 1: 189. 1791. 

 Leptochloa fascicularis A. Gray, Man. 588. 1848. 



'Culms tufted, finally branching, 3-8 dm., tall. Leaves erect, 1-2 dm. long, 

 3 mm. or less wide, involute when dry, rough; racemes 8 or more, erect or 



