36 BULLETIN 772, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



nerved spikelets. Panicularia grandis (S. Wats.) Nash has very large 

 panicles of oblong spikelets, the lemmas prominently 7-nerved. Pani- 

 cula?*ia pauciftora (Presl) Kuntze, found in the western mountains, 

 has 5-nerved lemmas and rather small panicles. 



The species are sometimes called manna grass and fowl meadow 

 grass. They are all excellent forage grasses, but usually form no 

 very important part of the grazing because they are limited to 

 swampy regions. Hydrocyanic acid has been found in Pq$4cularia 

 nervata, and some cases of cattle poisoning have been ascribed to it. 1 



5. PLEUROPOGON R. Br. 



Spikelets several to many flowered, linear, the rachilla disarticu- 

 lating above the glumes and between the florets; glumes unequal, 

 membranaceous or subhyaline, scarious at the somewhat lacerate tip, 

 the first 1-nerved, the second obscurely 3-nerved; lemmas membra- 

 naceous, 7-nerved, with a round indurate callus at base, the apex en- 

 tire or 2-toothed, the midnerve extending into a short mucro or into 

 an awn ; palea 2-keeled, the keels winged on the lower half. 



Soft annuals or perennials, with flat blades and loose racemes of 

 rather large spikelets. Species three, one in the arctic region and 

 two on the Pacific coast of the United States. 



Type species : Plctiropogon sabinii R. Br. 



Pleuropogon R. Br., Suppl. App. Parry's Voy. 189, pi. D. 1823. A single 

 species, described and figured. 



Lophochlaena Nees, in Taylor, Ann. Nat. Hist. 1: 283. 1838. Type L. cali- 

 fornica, the only species described. 



Our species are found in bogs and wet meadows. One, Pleu- 

 ropogon calif omicus (Nees) Benth. (fig. 9), an annual with ascending 

 spikelets, is confined to California. The other, P. refractus (Gray) 

 Benth., a perennial with drooping spikelets, is found from northern 

 California to Washington. They are palatable grasses, but occur too 

 infrequently to be of economic value. 



6. PUCCINELLIA Parl. 



Spikelets several-flowered, usually terete or only slightly flattened, 

 the rachilla disarticulating above the glumes and between the florets ; 

 glumes unequal, shorter than the first lemma, obtuse or acute, rather 

 firm, often scarious at the tip, the first 1-nerved or sometimes 

 3-nerved, the second 3-nerved; lemmas usually firm, rounded on the 

 back, obtuse or acute, rarely acuminate, usually scarious and often 

 erose at the tip, glabrous or puberulent toward the base, 5-nerved, 

 the nerves parallel, obscure or indistinct, rarely rather prominent; 

 palea about as long as the lemma or somewhat shorter. 



Annual, or usually perennial, low pale smooth cespitose grasses, 

 with narrow or open panicles. Species about 25, mostly along coasts 



1 Alsberg and Black. Journ. Biol. Chcm. 21 : 601. 1915. 



