GRAMINELE. (GRASS FAMILY.) 423 



lets ovate, 3 to 6-flowered, much shorter than the pedicels : outer glumes 

 1-nerved, acute, half shorter than the spikelet: jiowering glume keeled, 3-nerved 

 (lateral nerves prominent), scabrous-pubescent, erose-denticulate at apex, mucro- 

 nate, villous at base. — Proc. Acad, riiila. 1863, 78. Plains of Colorado and 

 adjacent regions. 



2. G. melicoides, Beauv. Stem not so tall, 1 to 2 feet liigli, smooth 

 above : leaves somcwliat scabrous, the lower 4 <o 6 inches long, the upper short: 

 panicle loosely flowered, open ; spikelets lanceolate, 2 to A-jloa-ered, with the 

 rhachis unilaterally bearded between the flowers : outer glumes quite unequal, 

 acuminate, equalling the spikelet: flowering glume convex, scarcehj keeled^ 

 faintly nerved, entire, pointless and awnless. — From N. E. Utah and Wyoming 

 northwarel ; found also at isolated stations, as in Michigan and Maine. 



3. G. Wolfii, Vasey. Closely resembling the last ; but the panicle close, 

 almost spicate ; the spikelets 2-flowered with a rudiment of a third : outer 

 glumes not so unequal : flowering glume obscurely 5-nerved, slightly split or 

 2-toothed at apex, bearing near the point a straight oppressed awn equalling or a 

 little exceeding the glume. — Bot. Wheeler Exped. 294, as Tnsetum Wolfli. 

 Colorado. 



43. GLYCERIA, R.Br. Manna Grass. 



Perennial, smooth marsh-grasses, mostly with creeping bases or rootstocks. 



* Flowering qlume faintly ^-nerved, truncate, erose-toothed or subacute : stigmas 



with simple hairs. 



1. G. distans, Wahl. Stems tufted, ^ to 2 feet high : leaves short and 

 narrow, mostly convolute and glaucous : panicle very variable, erect, narrow 

 and one-sided, its rays in fives or fewer; spikelets 3 to 1 2-flowered: outer 

 glumes from narrow and acute to broad and obtuse, 3-uerved or the lower 

 1-nerved : flowering glume oblong-linear, minutely pubescent at base, with 

 broadly scarious apex. — Atropis distans, Griseb. Includes (J. airoides, Thurb. 

 Poa airoides, Nutt. From New Mexico to Nebraska and westward to the 

 coast ; also on the Atlantic coast. This species is very variable, and has 

 been referred to so many genera that its synonymy is quite perplexing. 



* * Flowering glume prominently 5 to 1-nerved, truncate-obtuse : stigmas icith 



much branched hairs. 



2. G. nervata, Trin. Stems 2 to 4 feet high : leaves variable, some- 

 times 12 to 15 inches long, usually roughish above, as are the closed sheaths: 

 panicle 4 to 8 inches long, its flexuose capillary branches in twos or threes, and soon 

 diff'usely spreading and pendulous ; spikelets 1 or 2 lines lonti:, 5 to 7-flowered, 

 sometimes purplish : flowering glume 1-nerved, fine scabrous, strongly convex 

 near the a/iex. — In moist meadows and along water-courses, across the con- 

 tinent. 



3. G. aquatica, Smith. Stems stout, erect, 3 to 5 feet high : leaves 

 large, 1 to 2 fret long: panicle ample, 8 to 15 inches long, much branched, the 

 numerous branches ascending, spreading with age : spikelets 2 or 3 lines long, 

 5 to 9-flowered. usually purplish : flowering glume 1-nervedy entire. — In wet 

 grounds, from Colorado to California and Oregon, thence eastward across the 

 continent. Called " Reed ^Meadow-Grass." 



