graminejE. (grass family.) i>61 



panicle. Raehis jointed. Glumes membranaceous, obtuse, persistent Palese 

 nearly equal, somewhat chartaceous, obtuse, early falling away with the separat- 

 ing joints of the raehis; the lower one naked, convex, 7-nerved. Stamens 2-3. 

 Grain free, oblong. 



1. G. nervata, Trin. Culms erect; panicle diffuse, the capillary branches 

 at length drooping ; spikelets purplish, very numerous, ovate-oblong, 5 - 6-flow- 

 ered, nearly terete ; lower palea oblong, obtuse, 7-nerved. (Poa parviflora, Pursh.) 

 — Wet swamps, West Florida, and northward. July. — Culms 2°-3° high. 

 Spikelets 2" long. 



2. G. pallida, Trin. Culms erect or ascending; panicle narrow, nearly 

 simple, with the capillary branches erect ; spikelets pale, oblong-linear, 5 - 9-flow- 

 ered, nearly terete ; lower palea oblong, minutely 5-toothed, 7norved. — Shallow 

 water, North Carolina, and northward. July. — Culms l°-3° long. Spikelets 

 i' long. 



3. G. fluitans, R. Brown". Culms thick, ascending from a creeping base ; 

 leaves long, broadly linear ; panicle long, narrow, racemose ; spikelets linear, te- 

 rete, pale, loosely 7-13-flowered (1' long); lower palea obtuse, or slightly 3- 

 lobed at the scarious apex, roughish. 7-norved. (Poa fluitans, Ell.) — Shallow 

 water in the upper districts, and northward. June and July. — Culms 1 ° - 5° 

 long. Panicle 1° long. 



4. G. rigida, Smith. Culms low (2' -4' high), ascending, rigid; leaves 

 subulate, J'- Ij' long, involute and rigid when dry; panicle 1'- 1|' long, lance- 

 olate, dense, 1-sidcd; spikelets linear, acute, .5 - 1 1 -flowered, short-pedicelled ; 

 glumes serrulate on the keel ; palese obtuse, emarginate or mucronate. (Poa 

 rigida, L.) — Dry soils, around Beaufort, South Carolina, Elliott. April and 

 May. 



29. ARUNDTNAEIA, Michx. Cane or Reed. 



Tall woody grasses, with clustered spreading branches, broad and flat persist- 

 ent leaves, and racemose or panic-led many-flowered spikelets. Glumes unequal, 

 concave, membranaceous, awn-pointed. Palese rather loosely imbricated on the 

 bearded and jointed raehis, nearly equal ; the lowest one ovate-lanceolate, con- 

 cave, many-nerved, awn-pointed ; the upper strongly 2-keeled. Stamens 3. 

 Stigmas 3. Grain oblong, free. 



1. A. gigautea. (Cane.) Culms arborescent, 10°- 20° high, rigid, sim- 

 ple the first year, branching the second, afterwards at indefinite periods fruiting, 

 and soon after decaying; leaves lanceolate (l'-2' wide), acuminate, smoothish ; 

 panicles lateral, composed of few simple racemes ; spikelets purple, erect ; lower 

 palea lanceolate-ovate, pubescent, fi-inged (8" long), awn-pointed ( Arundinaria 

 macrosperma, Michx.) — Banks of the larger rivers, Florida to North Carolina. 

 February. 



2. A; tecta, Muhl. (Reed.) Culms slender, 2°- 10° high, branching ; leaves 

 linear-lanceolate, acuminate, roughish, the sheaths bearded at the throat ; spike- 

 lets solitary, or in a simple raceme at the summit of the branches, or frequently 



