GRAMINEAE. 



Vol. I. 



i. Phalaris arundinacea L. Reed Canary-grass. 

 Fig. 403. 



Phalaris arundinacea L. Sp. PI. 55. 1753- 



Glabrous, culms erect, 2°-s° tall, simple, smooth. 

 Sheaths shorter than the internodes; ligule i"-3" long, 

 obtuse, membranous; blades 3i'-io' long, 3"-8" wide, 

 acuminate, smooth or scabrous ; panicle 3'S' long, dense, 

 its branches i'-ii' long, erect or sometimes slightly 

 spreading; spikelets 2i"-3" long; outer scales scabrous, 

 3-nerved; third and fourth scales less than one-half 

 as long as the fifth, subulate, rigid, hairy; fifth scale 

 about three-fourths as long as the spikelet, chartaceous, 

 pubescent with long appressed silky hairs, subtending 

 a palet of similar texture and a perfect flower. 



In moist or wet soil, Nova Scotia to British Columbia, 

 south to New Jersey and Colorado. Also in Europe and 

 Asia. Lady-grass, Spires, Doggers, Sword-grass, Ladies' or 

 Bride's-laces, London-lace. July-Aug. The Ribbon-grass 

 or Painted-grass of cultivation, the so-palled variety picta, 

 has leaves variegated with green and white stripes, is a 

 derivative of this species, and sometimes escapes from 

 gardens. 



2. Phalaris caroliniana Walt. Carolina Canary- 

 grass. Fig. 404. 



Phalaris caroliniana Walt. Fl. Car. 74. 1788. 



Phalaris intermedia Bosc. ; Poir. in Lam. Encycl. Suppl, 



1: 300. 1810. 

 Phalaris americana Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 1: 101. 1817. 



Culms l°-3J° tall, erect or sometimes decumbent at 

 base, simple or somewhat branched, smooth or roughish, 

 glabrous. Sheaths usually shorter than the internodes ; 

 ligule 1 "-3" long, rounded, thin-membranous; blades 

 2'-6' long, z"s" wide, smooth or slightly scabrous; 

 spike-like panicle f-4' long, dense, its branches about 

 §' long, erect ; spikelets 2i" long, the outer scales more 

 or less scabrous, 3-nerved, wing-keeled ; third and 

 fourth scales less than one-half as long as the fifth, 

 subulate, hairy; fifth scale about two-thirds as long 

 as the spikelet, acuminate, pubescent with long ap- 

 pressed silky hairs. 



In moist soil, South Carolina to Missouri and California, 

 south to Florida, Texas and Arizona. Southern or Wild 

 Canary-grass. Ribbon-grass, California Timothy, Southern 

 Reed-grass. Fox-tail-grass. June-Aug. 



3. Phalaris canadensis L. Canary or Bird- 

 seed-grass. Fig. 405. 



Phalaris canariensis L. Sp. PI. 54. 1753. 



More or less roughened, culms i°-3° tall, erect, 

 simple or branched, glabrous. Sheaths shorter than 

 the internodes; ligule about 1" long, rounded; blades 

 2'-i2' long, 2"-6" wide, strongly scabrous; spikes 

 ¥-i¥ long, ovoid or oblong; spikelets 3"-4" long; 

 outer scales glabrous or sparingly pubescent; third 

 and fourth scales about half the length of the fifth, 

 broadly lanceolate, thin-membranous, sparingly 

 hairy ; fifth scale about two-thirds as long as the 

 spikelet, acute, pubescent with appressed silky hairs. 



In waste places, Nova Scotia to Ontario, Virginia, 

 Missouri and Colorado. Naturalized from Europe. The 

 grain is the common food of canary birds. July-Aug. 



