GRAMINE^. (grass FAMILY.) 625 



aceous, its 3 nerves terminating in a strong and abrupt cuspidate or awl-shaped 

 tip. Sqiiamulse orate, ciliate. Stamens 2. Grain very large, obliquely ovoid, 

 obtusely pointed, rather longer than the palets, the cartilaginous shining peri- 

 carp not adlierent to the seed. — A nearly smooth perennial, with running root- 

 stocks, producing simple culms (2° -3° high) with long linear-lanceolate flat 

 leaves towards the base, naked above, bearing a few short-pedicelied spikelets 

 (2"-3" long) in » very simple panicle. (Name composed of Sis, two, and 

 apprfv, man, from the two stamens.) 



1. D. Americ&na, Beauv. (Festuca diandra, Michx.) — Shaded river- 

 banks and woods, Ohio to Illinois and sonthward. Aug. 



28. DACTYLIS, L. Okchaed Grass. (Pl.lO.) 



Spikelets several-flowered, crowded in one-sided clusters, forming a branching 

 dense panicle. Glumes and lower palet herbaceous, keeled, awn-pointed, rough- 

 ciliate on the keel ; the 5 nerves of the latter converging into the awn-like point ; 

 the upper glume commonly smaller and thinner. Stamens 3. Grain lance- 

 oblong, acute, free. — Perennials : leaves keeled. (Name haKTvKis, a finger's 

 breadth, apparently in allusion to the size of the clusters. ) 



1. D. glomerXta, L. Eough, rather glaucous (3° high) ; leaves broadly 

 linear ; branches of the panicle naked at the base ; spikelets 3 - 4-flowered. — 

 Fields and yards, especially in shade. A variety with downy spikelets, Med- 

 ford, Mass., W. Boott. June. — Good for hay. (Nat. from Eu.) 



29. EICELEBIA, Pers. Kcelekia. (Pl.lO.) 



Spikelets 3-7-flowered, crowded in a dense and narrow spike-like panicle. 

 Glumes and lower palet membranaceous, compressed-keeled, obscurely 3-nerved, 

 barely acute, or the latter often mucronate or bristle-pointed ; the former mod- 

 erately unequal, nearly as long as the spikelet. Stamens 3. Grain free. — 

 Tufted Grasses (allied to Dactylis and Poa), with simple upright culms; the 

 sheaths often downy. (Named for Prof. G. L. KShler, or Koder, an early writer 

 on Grasses.) 



1. K. crist&ta, Pers. Panicle narrowly spiked, intermipted or lobed at 

 the base ; spikelets 2 - 4-flowered ; lower palet acute or mucronate ; leaves flat, 

 the lower sparingly hairy or ciliate. — Var. gkAcilis, with a long and narrow 

 spike, the flowers usually barely acute. (K. nitida, iVwM.) — Dry hills, Penn. 

 to Illinois, thence northward and westward. (Eu.) 



30. EATONIA, Eaf (REBotLEA, JCun*A.) (Pl.lO.) 



Spikelets usually 2-flowered, and with an abortive rudiment or pedicel, 

 numerous, in a contracted or slender panicle, very smooth. Glumes somewhat 

 equal in length, but very dissimilar, a little shorter than the flowers ; the lower 

 narrowly linear, keeled, 1 -nerved; the upper broadly obovate, folded round the 

 flowers, 3-nerved on the back, not keeled, scarious-margined. Lower palet ob- 

 long, obtuse, compressed-boat-shaped, naked, chartaceous ; the upper very thin 

 and hyaline. Stamens 3. Grain linear-oblong, not grooved. — Perennial, slen- 

 40 



