38 BULLETIN 772, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



and on interior alkali soil of the cool and arctic regions of the 

 Northern Hemisphere; about 12 species in the United States, on 

 the Atlantic coast south to Delaware, on the Pacific coast south to 

 Point Beyes, and in the western interior south to New Mexico. 



Type species: Poa distans L. 



Puccinellia Parl., Fl. Ital. 1: 366. 1848. Parlntore describes 4 species, P. 

 distans (L.) Parl., P. festvcaeformis (Host) Parl., P. gussonii Parl., and P. 

 maritima (Huds.) Parl. The first is selected as the type. 



Atropis Rupr., in Griseb. in Ledeb. Fl. Ross. 4: 388. 1853. Based upon Poa, 

 section Atropis Rupr., 1 of which the type and only species is Poa distans L. 



Puccinellia differs from Poa in the rounded lemmas with indistinct 

 and parallel nerves. The species are mostly confined to the brackish 

 marshes of the coast. One species, Puccinellia nuttalliana (Schult,") 

 Hitchc. (P. airoides (Nutt.) Wats, and Coult.) (fig. 10), is common 

 in alkaline soils of the interior from Minnesota to Washington and 

 south to New Mexico. This species furnishes considerable forage 

 where it is common. 



7. FLTJMINEA Fries. 

 (Scolochloa Link.) 



Spikelets 3 to 4 flowered, the rachilla disarticulating above the 

 glumes and between the florets; glumes nearly equal, somewhat scari- 

 ous and lacerate at summit, the first 3-nerved, the second 5-nerved, 

 about as long as the first lemma ; lemmas firm, rounded on the back, 

 villous on the callus, 7-nerved, the nerves rather faint and unequal, 

 extending into a scarious lacerate apex; palea narrow, flat, about 

 as long as the lemma. 



Tall perennials, with succulent rhizomes, flat blades, and spread- 

 ing panicles. Species two, one in eastern Siberia, the other in north- 

 ern Eurasia and northern North America, extending south to Iowa. 



Type species : Festuca borcalis Mert. and Koch. 



Scolochloa Link, Hort. Berol. 1: 136, 1827, not Scolochloa Mert. and Koch. 

 1823. Based on Arundo festucacea Willd. (Scolochloa festucacea Link), the 

 only species described. Scolochloa Mert. and Koch is based on Arundo dona.r L. 



Fluminea Fries, Summa Veg. Scand. 247. 1846. Based on Festuca boreal IK. 

 A single species is included, its name being given as " Festuca boreulis 

 or Fluminea arundinucea" This is the same as Scolochloa festucacea. 



Our single species, Fluminea festucacea (Willd.) Hitchc. (Arundo 

 festucacea Willd., Graphephorum festucaceum, Gray, ScoloMoa fes- 

 tucacea (Willd.) Link) (fig. 11), is a marsh grass found from Iowa 

 and Minnesota northward. It has some value for forage and is often 

 a constituent of marsh hay. 



8. POA L., the bluegrasses. 



Spikelets 2 to several flowered, the rachilla disarticulating above 

 the glumes and between the florets, the uppermost floret reduced or 

 rudimentary; glumes acute, keeled, somewhat unequal, the first 



iBeitr. Pflanzenk. Russ. Reich. 2: 81. 1845 (Fl. Samoj. Cis.). 



