ZEA. CLXI. GRAMINE^E. 625 



lower branches divaricate and sterile, the upper spicate and fertile ; spikelets on 

 clavate pedicels ; awns long, hispid ; fr. slender, f ' long, blackish, deciduous, 

 farinaceous. 7J. Inundated shores of ponds and rivers, U. S. and Can. The 

 fruit, which is very abundant, affords sustenance to wild geese, ducks, and other 

 water fowls. Aug. 



2. Z. MILIACEA. Michx. 



St. erect, 6 lOf high ; Ivs. very long, narrow, glaucous ; panicle terminal, 

 large, diffuse, pyramidal; glumes with short awns; tf and 9 fls. intermixed ; 

 sty. 1 ; fr. ovate, glabrous. Tf. Penn. to Car., W. to Ohio, growing in water. Aug-. 



3. Z. 1 FLUITANS. Michx. (Hydrocochloa. Palis. Hydropyrum. KunlL") 

 St. long, slender, branching, floating in the water ; Ivs. linear, flat ; spike 



solitary, axillary, setaceous, about 4-flowered; palece awnless; stig. 2, very 

 long; fr. reniform. 7{. Can, and N. States 1 July. 



60. LEPTtTRUS. R. Br. 



Gr. Aeirrof , slender, ovpa, tail ; from the long, slender, cylindrical spike. 



Flowers cf $ 9, spicate; rachis filiform, jointed, joints with one 

 spikelet ; glumes 1 or 2, rigid, connate 'with the rachis, simple or 

 2-parted. 



L. PANICULATUS. Nutt. 



St. scarcely If high, compressed ; Ivs. short, rigid, sheathing the base of 

 the panicle ; panicle or naked rachis incurved, acutely triangular, rigid, bearing 

 6 10 compressed, subulate spikes on one side, each 1 2' long ; spikelets re- 

 mote, on one side the rachis ; glumes rigidly fixed, unequal, parallel ; palea 2, 

 the outer of the same texture as the glumes, inner membranaceous. 111., Mead, 

 Mo., NuttaU. 



61. TRIPSACUM. 



Gr. rpi/3o) } to grind ; application not obvious. 



c? Spikes digitate ; glumes 2, coriaceous ; palese 2, membrana- 

 ceous. c? Spikelets 2-flowered, outer flower staminate, inner neuter. 

 9 Spikelets 3-flowered, the 2 lateral flowers abortive ; outer glume 

 enclosing the flowers in a cavity of the rachis, with an aperture each 

 side at base. 



T. DACTYLolDES. Sesame Grass. 



St. slightly compressed; smooth, solid with pith, brown at the nodes, 4 6f 

 high ; Ivs. near an inch broad, long, lance-linear, smooth beneath, roughish 

 above ; spikes 5 8' long, usually 2 3 together, digitate, terminal, tf flowers 

 above, 9 below, without awns. 7J_ River banks and sea shores, Mid., W. and 

 S. States. A large, coarse and very singular grass. Jl. 

 0. monostackyon. Spike single. 



62. ZEA. 



Gr. aw, to b've ; the seeds contributing eminently to the support of life. 



S . cT in terminal, paniculate racemes ; spikelets 2-flowereri ; 

 glumes 2, herbaceous, obtuse, subequal ; palese membranaceous, 

 awnless. obtuse. 9 lateral, axillary, on a spadix enclosed in a spathe 

 of numerous bracts spikelets 2-flowered. one flower abortive ; 

 glumes 2, very obtuse , paleae awnless ; style 1, filiform, very long, 

 pendulous ; caryopsis compressed. 



Z. MAYS. Maize. Indian Corn. 



Rt. fibrous ; st. erect, 5 lOf (in some varieties 15 20f ) high, channeled 

 on one side, leafy ; Ivs. lance-linear, entire, 2 3f long. (f) The varieties of 

 this noble plant are numerous, produced by climate and culture. It is a native 

 of the warm latitudes of America, but how widely it has been cultivated on 

 both continents, and how important it is to man, it is unnecessary here to 

 state. Jl. $ 



53 



