Elymus. GRAMINE^. 477 



Root perennial, fibrous Culm 2-4 feet high, erect. Leaves broadly linear, flat, often 

 glaucous. Spike 4-6 inches long. Spikelets 2 - 3 at each joint of the compressed naked 

 rachis, at first somewhat erect, but at length spreading almost horizontally, usually 3- (rarely 5-) 

 flowered. Glumes commonly wanting, but often with 2 callosities in their place. Sometimes, 

 particularly in the upper jjart of the spike, there are distinct subulate glumes, a pair at the 

 base of each spikelet. Lower glume obscurely nerved, smoothish ; the summit furnished with 

 a long slender bristle. 



Moist, rocky woods, and along shady ravines : not rare. Fl. July. This grass, which 

 several distinguished botanists have separated as a distinct genus, is undoubtedly a true 

 Elymus, the glumes being often more or less developed. In the advanced state, the spike 

 has much the appearance of a bottle-brush. 



Tribe XI. ANDROPOGONEM. Kunth. 



Spikelets in pairs, one-flowered ; the lower one incomplete, on a bearded pedicel. Palea 



mostly hyaline. — Habit various. 



43. ANDROPOGON. Linn. ; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 485. BEARD-GRASS. 



[From the Greek, ancr, a man, and pogon, a bearJ; in allusion to the hairy flowers.] 



Lower flower staminate or neuter ; the glumes and palea: often wanting. Upper flower per- 

 fect. Glumes awnless. Lower palea awned. — Flowers in panicles or spikes. 



• Inflorescence panided, 



]. Andropogon nutans, Linn. Wood-grass. Indian-grass. 



Panicle terminal, oblong, branched, at length nodding ; lower flower reduced to a mere 

 pedicel, without valves ; outer glume of the perfect flower clothed with brownish hairs ; awn 

 contorted. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 1045 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 74:; Miihl. gram. p. 284 ; Ell. sk. 1. 

 p. 146 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 43 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 157 ; Becli, bot. p. ilS ; Darli»g:. fl. Cost, 

 p. 88 ; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 604. A. avenaceus, Michx. fl. I. p. 5S ; Willd. sp. i.p. 907 ; 

 Pursh, I. c. ; Kunth, I. c. excl. syn. Ell. 



Perennial. Culm 3-6 feet high, erect, simple, terete. Leaves a foot or more in length 

 and 4-6 lines wide, glaucous : sheaths smooth : ligule elongated, membranaceous. Panicle 

 at first erect, nodding when mature, 6-10 inches long, often loose ; the primary branches 

 smooth : ultimate branches villous. Perfect spikelet sessile ; the glumes equal, lanceolate, 

 brownish and shining, coriaceous : lower one very hairy ; the upper (or inner) smooth. Paleae 

 shorter than the glumes, very thin and membranaceous : lower one with a long twisted and 

 bent awn ; the upper ciliate on the margin. Stamens 3 : anthers yellow. 



Sandy and sterile fields : frequent. FL August - September. 



