(GRASS FAMILY.) 405 



6. SPAETINA, Schreber. CORD or MARSH GRASS. 



Perennials, With simple and rigid reed-like stems, from extensively creeping 

 scaly rootstocks, very smooth sheaths, and long tough leaves. 



1. S. cynosuroides, Willd. Stems 2 to 6 feet high: leaves 2 to 4 feet 

 long, tapering to a long slender involute point : spikes 5 to 20, scattered and 

 spreading, at least at maturity, the pedicels and common axis strongly hispid on 

 the angles : lower glume very narrow ; the upper broad, spinulose-hispid on the 

 keel and tapering to a rough awn : the flowering glumes very rough on the 

 midrib which terminates just Below its tip. Across the continent along 

 the borders of lakes and rivers, especially common in the Atlantic States. 



2. S. gracilis, Trin. Stems more slender, 1 to 3 feet high, exceeding the 

 spreading distichous rough and rigid leaves : spikes 4 to 10, mostly sessile, closely 

 appressed to the nearli/ smooth rhachis .' outer glumes very unequal, the lower 

 acuminate, the upper acute, they and the flowering glume ciliate and hispid 

 upon the keel. Steud, Gram. 214. In saline soils from Oregon to Texas, 

 also in Florida. 



7. HILARIA, HBK. 



Creeping plants, with spikelets so closely sessile as to require some care in 

 their separation. 



1. H. Jamesii, Benth. Stems 1 to l feet high, hairy at the nodes: 

 leaves glaucous, rigid, scabrous, mostly convolute, the upper ones short and 

 pungent; sheaths scabrous, hairy at the throat; ligule laciniate : spike 2 to 3 

 inches long, erect : outer glumes of the perfect spikelet ciliate, cleft nearly 

 to the middle, the lobes 1-nerved on the inner margin with 3 to 5 interme- 

 diate bristles, the central one longer : flowering glume 3-nerved, bifid : palet 

 2-nerved, slightly bifid : lower glume of the sterile spikelets slightly 2-cleft, 

 awned above the middle; upper glume emarginate, cuspidate Pleuraphis 

 Jamesii, Torr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. i. 148. From Texas and New Mexico to 

 S. Colorado and Nevada. 



8. ANDROPOGON, L. BEARD GRASS. 



Coarse, mostly rigid perennials, with lateral or terminal spikes commonly 

 clustered or digitate, the rhachis hairy or plumose-bearded, and often the 

 sterile and staminate flowers also. 



1. A. furcatUS, Muhl. Tall, 3 to 4 feet high, the naked summit of the 

 stem terminated by 2 to 5 rigid digitate spikes: spikelets approximated, ap- 

 pressed : hairs at the base of the fertile spikelet, on the rhachis, and on the 

 stout pedicel of the awnless staminate spikelet short and rather sparse : awn 

 of fertile flower long and bent. In dry sterile soil from Colorado to Texas, 

 and very common in the Atlantic States. 



2. A. SCOpariuS, Michx. Stems 1 to 3 feet high, with numerous paniculate 

 branches : spikes single, scattered, mostly peduncled, very loose, often purplish, 

 silky with lax dull white silky hairs shorter than the Jlowers : awn of fertile 

 flower twice as long as the flower, twisted or bent. In S. Colorado and 

 common eastward. 



