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Tribe I. ORYZE,E. 



Genus I. LEERSIA. CUT-GRASS. 



Gen. Char. Glumes two, concave, boat-shaped, keeled, 

 nearly closed, generally fringed, the outer broader and the 

 same length as the inner ; palea absent ; scales lanceolate, 

 acute ; stamens two, three, or six, short ; anthers oblong 

 germen ovate, compressed ; styles two, capillary, short 

 stigmas feathery; panicles loose; spikelets one-flowered 

 seed obovate, compressed. 



This genus of grasses is chiefly American, but indi- 

 vidual species are found both in Asia and Australia, and 

 one at any rate is common in Europe, and has even 

 effected a settlement in England. The generic name 

 was bestowed by Swartz in honour of the botanist Leers, 

 a native of Nassau, who wrote and illustrated a very ela- 

 borate work on grasses. The original work is both rare 

 and valuable, but the second edition is very inferior. 



Leersia oryzoides, Eng. Bot. European Cut-grass. 



Root perennial, with long runners ; stem erect, smooth, 

 from three to five feet high in the south of Europe, but only 

 about two feet high in England; joints hairy ; leaves linear- 

 lanceolate, pointed, striated, very rough at the edges, glau- 

 cous; sheaths roughish ; ligules short and notched ; panicles 

 spreading, the branches light and wavy ; spikelets numerous, 

 unilateral, containing one floret ; glumes unequal in breadth 

 but equal in length, opening but a little way, fringed at the 



