GRAMINE^. (grass FAMILY.) 639 



2 for each spikelet, forming an involucre to the cluster. Palets coriaceous; the 

 lower rounded on the back, acute or awned at the apex. Grain adherent to the 

 involving palets (whence the name, an ancient one for some grain, from e\i<o, 

 to roll up]. 



# Glumes and flowers firm or rigid, both or only ike latter awned: spikelets 1-5- 



flowered: perennials, with slender culms and rather harsh and broad flat leaves. 



■*- Spike large and stout. 



1. E. Virginicus, L. Spike rigidli/ upright, dense (2'-3' long, 6" thick), 

 on a short peduncle usually included in the sheath ; spikelets 2-3 together, 2-3- 

 flowered, smooth, rather short-awned, about the length of the thickened strongly- 

 nerved and bristle-pointed lanceolate glumes. — River-banks ; common. Aug. — 

 Culm stout, 2° - 3° high. 



2. E. Canadensis, L. Spike soon nodding (5' -9' long), on an exserted 

 peduncle ; spikelets mostly in pairs, of 3 - 5 long-awned rough or rough-hairy 

 flowers ; the awl-shaped glumes tipped with shorter awns. (E. Philadelphicus, L. .') 



— Var. GLACCirbLins (E. glaucifolius, Muhl.) is pale or glaucous throughout, 

 the flowers with more spreading awns (I J' long). — Biver-banks : common. 



-t- Spike more slender, as also the culm. 



3. E. Sibiricus, L. Glabrous; spike wand-like (2'- 6' long, about 3" thick), 

 often somewhat nodding ; spikelets in pairs, 3 - 6-flowered ; glumes linear-lanceo- 

 late, 3 - 5-nerved, short-awned, shorter than the flowers, which are rather short-awned. 



— South shore of Lake Superior {Porter}, and northwestward. (Eu.) 



4. E. stri&tUS, Willd. More or less pubescent; spike dense and thickish 

 (2' - 4' long), upright or slightly nodding; spikelets mostly in pairs, 1-2- (or 

 rarely 3-) flowered, minutely bristly-hairy; glumes awl-shaped, bristle-awned, 1-3- 

 ncrved, about thrice the length of the flowers exclusive of the capillary awn (which 

 is 1' long). — Var. vill6sus (E. villosus, MuM.!) has very hairy flowers and 

 glumes, and villous sheaths. — Kocky woods and banks. July, Aug. — Palets 

 only 3" long. 



« # Glumes and palets awnless and soft in texture : reed-like perennials. 



5. E. mdllis, Trin. (not of R. Br.) Culm (3° high) velvety at top ; spike 

 thick, erect (8' long) ; spikelets 2 or 3 at each joint, 5-8-flowered; the lanceo- 

 late pointed 5-7-nerved glumes (1' long) and the pointed palets soft-villous ; 

 rhachis of the spikelets separating into joints. — Shore of the Great Lakes, 

 Maine, and northward. (Near E. arenarius.) 



47. GYMNbSTICHUM, Schreb. Bottle-brush Grass. (PI. U.) 



Spikelets 2 - 3 or sometimes solitary on each joint of the rhachis, raised on a 

 very short callous pedicel, loosely 2 - 4-flowered (when solitary flatwise on the 

 rhachis). Glumes none) or small awn-like deciduous rudiments (whence the 

 name, from yvpvns, naked, and (rri';(os, rank). Otherwise nearly as in Elymus. 



1. G. H^Strix, Schreb. Spike loose (3' -6' long); the spreading spike- 

 lets 2-3 together, early deciduous; flowers smoothish or often rough-hairy, 

 tipped with an awn thrice their length (I' long) ; leaves and sheaths smoothish; 

 culm 3°-4° high; root perennial. (Elymus Hystrix, i.) — Moist woodlands. 

 July, Aug. 



