GRAMINEiE. (GBASS FAMILY.) 555 



2S. liEPTOCHLOA, Beanv. (Oxtd4;nia., Nutt.) 



Spikelets 3 - many-flowered (the uppermost flower imperfect), loosely spiked 

 on one side of a long filiform rhachis : tlie spikes racemed. Glumes membra- 

 naceous, keeled, often awl-pointed, the upper one somewhat larger. Lower pa- 

 lea 3-nerved, with the lateral nerves next the ciliate or hairy margins awnless, or 

 bristle-awned at the entire or 2-toothed tip, larger than the upper. Stamens 2 or 

 3. Seed sometimes loose in the pericarp. — Leaves flat. (Name composed of 

 XenroJ, slender, and ^6a, grass, from the long attenuated spikes. ) 



§ 1. LEPTOCHLOA Peopkk. — Lower palm awnless or simply awned. 

 . Ii. mucronata, Kunth. Sheaths hairy; spikes numerous (20-40, 

 2' -4' in length), in a long panicle-like raceme; spikelets small; glumes more 

 or less mucronate, nearly equalling or exceeding the 3-4 awnless flowers. ® 

 — Pields, Virginia to Illinois, and southward. August. 



§2. DIPLACHNE, Beauv. — Lower palea bristle-awned from the 2-toothed apex ; 

 the marginal nerves often excurrent into lateral teeth or points. 

 2. Li. fascicul&ris. Smooth ; leaves longer than the geniculate-decum- 

 bent branching culms ; the upper sheathing the base of the crowded panicle-like 

 raceme, which is composed of many strict spikes (3' - 5' long) ; spikelets slightly 

 pedicelled, 7-11-flowered, much longer than the lanceolate glumes; paleae 

 hairy-margined towards the base ; the lower one with 2 small lateral teeth and a 

 short awn in the cleft of the apex. (J) (Eestuca fascicularis. Lam. P. polysta- 

 chya, Michx. Diplachne fascicularis, Beauv., Torr.) — Brackish meadows, 

 from Rhode Island southward along the coast, and from Tlinois southward on 

 the Mississippi. Aug. — Makes a direct transition to the next genus. 



24. TRICIJSPIS, Beauv. (UkAlepis & Winds6kia, iVu«.) 



Spikelets 3-12-flowered, somewhat terete; the terminal flower abortive. 

 Glumes unequal. Rhachis of the spikelet bearded below each flower. Paleas 

 membranaceous or somewhat chartaceous ; the lower much larger than the 2- 

 toothed upper one, convex, 2-3-toothed or cleft at the apex, conspicuously 

 hairy-bearded or villous on the 3 strong nerves, of which the lateral are mar- 

 ginal or nearly so and usually excurrent, as is the mid-nerve especially, into a 

 short cusp or awn. Stamens 3. Stigmas dark purple, plumose. Grain ob- 

 long, mostly gibbous. — Leaves taper-pointed: sheaths bearded at the throat. 

 Panicle simple or compound ; the spikelets often racemose, purplish. (Name 

 from the Latin tricuspis, three-pointed, alluding to the lower palea.) 



§ 1. TRICUSPIS Pbopek. (Windsoria, Nutt.) — Glumes shorter than the 

 crowded ft/owers : lower palea 3-cuspidate by the projection of the nerves, and usu- 

 ally with 2 intermediate membranaceous teeth ; the upper palea naked. 

 1. T. seslerioides. Ton-. (Tall Red-top.) Culm upright (3° -5° 

 high), very smooth, as are the flat loaves ; panicle large and compound, the rigid 

 capillary branches spreading, naked below ; spikelets very numerous, 5 - 7-flow- 

 ered, shining, puqjle (J' long) ; the flowers hairy toward tlie base. 1). (Poa 

 flava L. ! P. seslerioides, ilirhx. P. qiiinqiiefKLi, Pursli. Windsoria pots- 



