GKAMINE^E. (GRASS FAMILY.) 54.9 



from the base; panicle very simple and raceme-like, few-flowered; awn 2-8 

 times the lenyth of tlte rather hairy whitish palea;. (Urachne, Trin.) Hill-sides, 

 &c., in rich woods; common northward. May. Leaves concave, keelless, 

 rough-edged, pale underneath, lasting through the winter. Squamulae lanceo- 

 late, almost as long as the inner palea ! 



3. O. CaaadeiisiS, Torr. Culms slender (6'-15' high), the lowest 

 sheaths leaf-bearing; leaves involute-thread-shaped; panicle contracted (!' 2' 

 long), the branches usually in pairs ; paleaj pubescent, whitish ; awn short and 

 very deciduous, or wanting. (0. parviflora, Nutt. Stipa juncea, Michx. S. Can- 

 adensis, Poir. Milium pungens, Torr. Urachne brevicaudata, Trin.) Rocky 

 hills anl dry plains, W. New England to Wisconsin, and northward; rare. 

 May. Glumes l"-2'' long, sometimes purplish. Through the species, or 

 perhaps variety, Urachne micrantha, Trin., this genus is strictly connected with 

 Stipa. 



14. STIPA, L. FEATHER-GRASS. 



Spikelets 1 -flowered, terete : the flower falling away at maturity, with the con- 

 spicuous obconical bearded and often sharp-pointed stalk (callus), from the mem- 

 branaceous glumes. Lower palea coriaceous, cylindrical-involute, closely em- 

 bracing the smaller upper one and the cylindrical grain, having a long and 

 twisted or tortuous simple awn jointed with its apex (naked in our species). 

 Stamens mostly 3. Stigmas plumose. Perennials, with narrow involute leaves 

 and a loose panicle. (Name from OTVTTJ;, low, in allusion to the flaxen appear- 

 ance of the feathery awns of the original species.) 



* Callus or base of tfie flower short and blunt ; glumes pointless. 



1. S. Kicliardsoilii, Link. Culm (l- 2 high) and leaves slender ; 

 panicle loose (4' -5' long), with slender few-flowered branches ; glumes nearly 

 equal, oblong, acutish (2^" long), about equalling the pubescent linear-oblong 

 lower palea, which bears a tortuous or geniculate awn 6" - 8" long. Pleasant 

 Mountain, near Scbago Lake, Maine, C. J. Sprague ; and northwestward. 

 (Flowers rather smaller than in Richardson's plant, as described by Trinius 

 and Ruprecht.) 



* * Callus or base of the flower pungently pointed : at maturity villous-beardcd : lower 

 palea slender and minutely bearded at the tip : glumes taper-pointed. 



2. S. aveiiacea, L. (BLACK OAT-GRASS.) Culm slender (l-2 

 high) ; leaves almost bristle-form ; panicle open ; paleie blackish, nearly as long as 

 the almost equal glumes (about 4" long), the awn bent above, twisted below (2'- 

 3' long). Dry or sandy woods, S. New England to "Wisconsin, and (chiefly) 

 southward. July. 



3. S. spnitca, Trin., not of Hook. (PORCUPINE GRASS.) Culm rather 

 stout (H-3 high) ; panicle contracted ; paletE linear, f'-l' long (including the 

 long callus), pubescent below, shorter than the lanceolate slender subulate-pointed 

 greenish glumes ; the twisted strong awn 3j'-7' long, pubescent below, rough 

 above. (S. juncea, Pursh?) Plains and prairies, from Illinois and N Michi- 

 gan northwestward. 



