GRAMINE^. 561 



55. ERIANTHUS, Bich. 



Spikelets peminate along a jointed axis, homogamons, supported by wool: one sessile, one 

 pedicellate. Two inferior sterile glumes chartaceous-membranaceous, third devoid of a palea, 

 ■ neutral, fourth (the fertile) awned, with a palea : awn terminal, usually straight. — Perennial 

 grasses ; spikelets paniculate. 



.164. E. jamaicensis, Gr. "Leaves linear-acuminate; panicle linear -lanceolate : 

 joints and pedicels villous ; exterior glumes acuminate, about as long as the wool, interior 

 villous at the margin ; awn as long as its glume." — Saccharum, 2Wm.— Apparently allied to 

 E. Sttccharoides, Mich., which has a longer awn. — Hab. Jamaica {THn.). 



56*. SACCHARUM, L. 



Character of Erianthus, but spikelets awnless, exterior glumes membranaceous, and glnme 

 . of the flower more or less abortive. — Stout, paniculate grasses; wool exceeding the spikelet. 



165*. S. officinarum, L. Panicle large, pyramidal : common axis sulcate ; joints and 

 pedicels glabrous below the wool ; exterior glumes pointed, one-half to one-third as long as 

 the wool; palea of the flower half as long as the third glume; stamens 3. — Tass. Ft. 1. 

 t. 23-25. DescFl. 4. t. 283 ; 7. t, 493.— S. violaceum, Tkss. .- a form with the midrib of 

 the second glume suppressed. — -Hab. Naturalized ^.^. in Antigua I, and cultivated; [intro- 

 duced from the East Indies]. 



57. IMPERATA, Ogr. 



Spikelets homogamous, awnless, geminate, unequally pedicellate in each pair, jointed and 

 supported by wool at the base : axis not jointed. Two inferior sterile glumes membran^ 

 ceons : third inclnded, devoid of a palea, neutral. ' Glume of the flower and its palea minute 

 (replacing the wanting lodiculse). Stamens 1-2. Style 2-fid : stigmas exserted from the ' 

 summit of the spikelet. — Erect, perennial grasses ; panicle contracted: wool white, exceed- 

 ing the narrow, hairy spikelets, 



166. I. caudata, Trin. Nodes glabrous ; leases lanceolate-linear, flattish : ligule 

 long-ciliate ; panicle long, at length somewhat loosened : wool 3-4 times as long as the 

 spikelet ; flower l-androus. — SI. t. 70. /. 1. — Saccharum, May. Esseq. ! S. coutractum, 

 Poit., Led. {non Kih.), S. dnbium, Kth. — 2-6' high ; leaves 4"'-5"' broad ; panicle about 

 1' long, 1" broad in the expanded state : wool 3"'-4"' long. — Hab. Jamaica !, Pd., Wils. ; 

 Trinidad !, Sied. Tr. 10, Or. ; [French islands ; Guiana !, Brazil]. 



58*. COIX, 1. 



Spikelets monoecious, S superior, 2-flowered, ? little exserted from a bony involucre. 

 Sterile glumes in ? 3, third devoid of a palea, membranaceous. Style 2-partite. — Erect, 

 branched grasses ; leaves lanceolate ; cymes peduncled, axillary and terminal : $ spikelets 

 solitary. 

 y^ 167*. C Iiacryma, L. Annual ; stem half-terete above ; involucre subglobose, white- 

 shining. — Hab. Naturalized in Jamaica!, Af««A, Wullschl.; S. Kitts!; [introduced from 

 the East Indies], 



59*. ZBA, L. 



Spikelets monoecious, S geminate, 3-flowered, in terminal, compound spikes, ? approxi- 

 mate along an axillary spadix, which is enclosed by several spathes. Style simple, 2-dentate. 

 — A stout, annual grass ; leaves ohlong'lanceolate. 



168*. Z. Maya, Ll—Desc. Fl. 8. t. 544.— Hab. Naturalized, e.g. Antigua!, and cul- 

 tivated ; [America, but original habitat unknown]. 



