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



139. MANISURIS L. 

 (Rottbocllia L. f.) 



Spikelets awnless, in pairs at the nodes of a thickened articulate 

 rachis, one sessile and fertile, the other pedicellate and sterile, the 

 pedicel thickened and appressed to the rachis, the sessile spikelet 

 fitting closely against the rachis, forming a cylindric or subcylindric 

 spike; glumes obtuse, awnless, the first coriaceous, fitting over the 

 hollow containing the spikelet, the second less coriaceous than the 

 first; sterile lemma, fertile lemma, and palea thin and hyaline, in- 

 closed within the glumes; pedicellate spikelet reduced, often rudi- 



Perennial slender, moderately tall, or tall grasses, with usually 

 numerous smooth cylindric or flattened spikes, single on the culms 

 and branches. Species about 30, in the warm regions of both hemi- 

 spheres ; 5 in the southern United States. 



Type species: Manisuris myuros L. 



Manisuris L., Mant. PI. 2 : 164. 1771. Only one species described. 



Rottboellia L. f., Nov. Gram. Gen. 22, pi. 1, 1779 (Amoen, Acad. 10. 1790), 

 not Scop., 1777. In a note appended to the description of the genus is the 

 statement, " Hue pertinent Aegilops Incurvata & Exaltata S. N., p. 762, aeque 

 ac Panicum Dimidiatum S. N., p. 90." The second species, being the one illus- 

 trated, is the type. 



Stegosia Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 1: 51. 1790. Type, S. cochinchinensis Lour., 

 the only species described. 



Hemarthria R. Br., Prodr. FL Nov. Holl. 207. 1810. Two species described, 

 H. compressa and H. uncinata. The first species, based upon Rottboellia com- 

 pressa L. f., is chosen as the type. 



Lodicularia Beauv., Ess. Agrost. 108, pi. 21, f. 6. 1812. A single species is 

 included, L. fasciculata, based on Rottboellia fasciculata Desf. (R. fasciculata 

 Lam. evidently intended). 



Coelorhachis Brongn., in Duperr. Bot Toy. Coquille 64. 1829. The type is 

 Aegilops muricata Retz., on which is based Coelorhachis muricata, the only 

 species described. 



The species of Manisuris found in the United States are nowhere 

 abundant and are of little economic importance, though they may 

 furnish some forage. Manisuris fasciculata (Lam.) Hitchc. has 

 flattened spikes. The other three species have cylindric spikes. 

 In these the first glume is variously marked, being somewhat pitted 

 in M. cylindrica (Michx.) Kuntze (fig. 168), tessellate in M. tessel- 

 lata (Steud.) Scribn., and transversely wrinkled in M. rugosa (Nutt.) 

 Kuntze. 



140. RYTILIX Raf. 

 (Hackelochloa Kuntze, Manisuris of authors.) 



Spikelets awnless, in pairs, the rachis joint and pedicel grown 

 together, the two clasped between the edges of the globose alveolate 

 first glume of the sessile spikelet; pedicellate spikelet conspicuous, 

 staminate. 



A much-branched annual with flat blades, the numerous spikes 

 single and more or less inclosed in the sheathing bract, these some- 



