CLASS III. ORDER III. 27 



more in height, with a panicle of a few racemose branches. 

 Seeds greenish white. The single style is the chief character 

 which separates it from some species of milium. — In old woods 

 in the interior. — May. — Perennial 



DIGYNIA. 



26. MILIUM. 

 Milium racemosum. Sm. Black seeded Blillet grass. 



Panicle simple, its branches racemose ; calyx ellip- 

 tical, acute, ribbed ; corolla hairy at base ; awn as 

 long again as the valves. 



Syn. Oryzopsis melanocarpa. Muhl. 

 PiFTATHERUM NIGRUM. Torrey . 



A tall grass with large black grains. Culm two or three feet 

 high. Leaves long, linear-lanceolate. Panicle of a few long, 

 simple, racemose branches, erect at first, but afterwards spread- 

 ing. It resembles Oryzopsis, but is distinguished by its distinct 

 styles, dark seeds, taller stature, and later period of flowering. — 

 "Woods, in the interior of the state. — August. — Perennial. 



It may, perhaps, be found worth cultivation. 



Milium pungens. Torrey. Dwarf Blillet grass. 



Leaves lanceolate, very short, pungent, at length 

 involute ; panicle contracted, branches mostly in pairs, 

 corolla hairy ; awn uncertain. 



Culm slender, a foot high, with a few very short leaves. Pan- 

 icle small, the branches rather erect. Calyx obtuse or truncate. 

 Corolla as long as the calyx, hairy. In all my specimens a part 

 of the flowers have an awn about half as long as the corolla. — 

 Woods, Sudbury. — May. 



27. ALOPECURUS. 

 Alopecurus pratensis. L. Common Foxtail grass. 



Culm erect, smooth ; sheaths swelling ; spike cy- 

 lyndrical, obtuse ; calyx glumes acute, connate ; co- 

 rolla equal to the calyx. 



