Diplocea Barbata, 253 



notch aristated, the smallest rautic entire bearded. Additional 

 characters. Flowers when single sepile with a lateral jutting 

 peduncle, when double, one sepile and one pedunculated, 

 when three two are pedunculated and alternate. The her- 

 maphrodite and male flowers are similar : the female are 

 nearly clandestine, inferior. Stamens 3, styles 2. Seeds 

 ovate oblong. 



Observations. This genus is intermediate between amphi- 

 carpon, Raf. {Milium amphicarpon, Pursh) and aira, L. It 

 differs from this last by its polygamy, variable number of 

 flowers, notched valves, &c. The generic name means doteble 

 notch. Its type is the following species, which had been 

 ranged with the aira, by Walter, and considered doubtful by 

 Pursh. 



Diplocea Barbata. 



Specific definition. Stems cespitose, articulations bearded ; 

 leaves rough glaucous, neck ciliated ; panicles, few flowered, 

 female axillary ; largest valvet rinervate, and ciliated as well 

 as the awl. 



Latin definition. Caulibus cespetosis, geniculis barbatis, 

 collo ciliato, foliis scabris glaucis, paniculis paucifloris, femi- 

 neis axillaribus ; valva majore trinerva, aristaque ciliata. 



Description. Roots, annual fibrous : stems many, unequal, 

 rather procumbent at the base, next assurgent, rising one foot 

 at utmost ; they are geniculated, slender, brittle, weak, and 

 smooth. The knees or joints are bearded, the sheaths are 

 split, the neck ciliated, the leaves short, stiff", rough glaucous, 

 linear acute, obscurely striated. The panicles have ievf 

 flowers, particularly the female ones, which are axillary 

 coarctated almost hidden, while the male are terminal and 

 divaricate : some hermaphrodite flowers are occasionally, but 

 seldom found among both panicles ; they are all similar, differ- 

 ing only in the want of stamina or pistils. The valves of the 

 exterior glumes are nearly equal oblong notched obtuse, mutic 

 and oneneroed. The valvules or valves of the glumule 

 (corolla or interior glume) are unequal, the largest is ciliated 



