FESTUCE.E. 497 



cUiate on the nerves above the inidillo. except Jf. anomnla. Stamens 

 3. Styles distinct. (Jrainol)loiii"-fii.sironn, sinootli, c'onii)resse(l on 

 the back, inchulcd by its j,'liinu', luit not adlieriii;,'. 



Erect i)erennials ; blades Hat or involute ; culms often with 

 conn.s at tlio base. 



There are about thirty species, widely distributed tlirougliout 

 tlie temperate and subtropical regions of the world. 



In most instances I have followed Scribner in his "Revision of 

 the North American MeliciB." See Proe. Phila. Acad. Nut. Sci. p. 

 40, in 1885. 



Bentham observes that the typical representative of the sub- 

 tribe lias been universally recognized since the days of Linnieus, 

 and less tamjiercd with than any other genus of ecpial extent. In 

 the ty[)ical Melicas, however varied the panicle, long and narrow, 

 or very loose and spreading, the spikelets are generally nodding, 

 with rarely more than two flewers; lloral glumes more or less 

 scarious and never awiied, the terminal em])ty glumes one within 

 the other. In a section proposed by Thurber for some northwest 

 American species under the name of Broinelicd, the spikelets are 

 eri'ct, with more rigid glumes, occasionally awned and 3-8-ilowered, 

 the upi)er empty glumes narrower and not so closely packed, giving 

 the plants altogether so dilferent an aspect that he hesitated 

 whether or not, as suggested by Thnrber, to raise the section to the 



rank of a genus. 



GLYCKitr.i:. 



Spikelets l~o-JIowerc(l, floral (jhoncs herbaceo-coriaoeous, with a 

 narrow srarions mnryin above, stronghj 7-0-)ierved. 



A. Culms not bulbiferous (b) 



b. Empty glumes shorter than the spikelet (c) 



c. Panicle 20-30 cm. long o . . . 1 



c. Panicle 4-6 cm. long 2 



b. Empty glumes as long as the floret 3 



B. Culms bulbiferous d 



d. ligule 3-4 mm. long 4 



d. ligule 2-3 mm. long 5 



d. ligule very short 6 



