GRAMINE^I. (GRASS FAMILY.) 423 



lets ovate, 3 to §■ flowered, much shorter than the pedicels: outer glumes' 

 1-nerved, acute, half shorter than the spikelet: flowering glume keeled, Swerved 

 (lateral nerves prominent), scabrous-pubescent, erdse-denticulate at apex, mucro- 

 nate, villous at base. — Proc. Acad. Phila. 1863, 78. Plains of Colorado and 

 adjacent regions. 



2. G. melieoides, Beauv. Stem* not so tall, 1 to 2 feet high, smooth 

 above : leaves somewhat scabrous, the lower 4 to 6 inches long, the upper short : 

 panicle loosely flowered, open; spikelets lanceolate, 2 to i-flowered, with the 

 rhachis unilaterally bearded between the flowers : outer glumes quite unequal, 

 acuminate, equalling the spikelet: flowering glume convex, scarcely keeled, 

 faintly nerved, entire, pointless and awnless. — From N. E. Utah and Wyoming 

 northward ; found also at isolated stations, as in Michigan and Maine. 



3. G. Wolfii, Vasey. Closely resembling the last ; but the panicle close, 

 almost spicate ; the spikelets 2-flowered with a rudiment of a third : outer 

 glumes not so unequal : flowering glume obscurely 5-nerved, slightly split or 

 2-toothed at apex, bearing near the point a straight oppressed awn equalling or a 

 little exceeding the glume. — Bot. Wheeler Exped. 294, as Trisetum Wolfli. 

 Colorado. 



43. GL7CEBIA, R.Br. Manna Grass. 

 Perennial, smooth marsh-grasses, mostly with creeping bases or rootstocks. 



* Flowering glume faintly 5-nerved, truncate, erose-toothed or subacute : stigmas 



with simple hairs. 



1. G. distans, Wahl. Stems tufted, J to 2 feet high : leaves short and 

 narrow, mostly convolute and glaucous : panicle very variable, erect, narrow 

 and one-sided, its rays in fives or fewer ; spikelets 3 to 12-flowered : outer 

 glumes from narrow and acute to broad and obtuse, 3-nerved or the lower 

 1-nerved : flowering glume oblong-linear, minutely pubescent at base, with 

 broadly scarious apex. — Atropis distans, Griseb. Includes O. airoides, Thurb. 

 Poa airoides, Nutt. From New Mexico to Nebraska and westward to the 

 coast; also on the Atlantic coast. This species is very variable, and has 

 been referred to so many genera that its synonymy is quite perplexing. 



* * Flowering glume prominently 5 to 1-nerved, truncate-obtuse: stigmas with 



much branched hairs. 



2. G. nervata, Trin. Stems 2 to 4 feet high : leaves variable, some- 

 times 12 to 15 inches long, usually roughish above, as are the closed sheaths: 

 panicle 4 to 8 inches long, its flexuose capillary branches in twos or threes, and soon 

 diffusely spreading and pendulous ; spikelets 1 or 2 lines long, 5 to 7-flowered, 

 sometimes purplish : flowering glume 7-nerved, fine scabrous, strongly convex 

 near the apex. — In moist meadows and along water-courses, across the con- 

 tinent. 



3. G. aquatiea, Smith. Stems stout, erect, 3 to 5 feet high : leaves 

 large, 1 to 2 feet long: panicle ample, 8 Jo 15 inches long, much branched, the 

 numerous branches ascending, spreading with age : spikelets 2 or 3 lines long, 

 5 to 9-flowered, usually purplish : flowering glume 7-nerved, entire. — In wet 

 grounds, from Colorado to California and Oregon, thence eastward across the 

 continent. Called " Reed Meadow-Grass." 



