800 Obdeb 156.— GRAMINEiE. 



41. UN r OLA, L. Union Grass. (Diminutive from Lat. mwms, one ; 

 many flowers in one spikelet.) Spikelets compressed, 2-edged, 3 to 

 20-flowered ; lower flower or fls. neutral, of one pale ; glumes 2, cari- 

 nate ; lower pale flattened and wing-keeled, the upper double wing- 

 keeled, both awnless ; stam. 1 or 3 ; caryopsis free. — 2f Smooth, erect, 

 flat-leaved grasses. 



§ Spikelets on slender pedicels, liirsre, elliptic. Pales unequal. Stamen 1 No. 1 



§ Spil^elets subseasile,— large (6 to 16" long). Pjilcs about equal Nos. 2, 3 



— small (2 to 3" long). Pales very unequal No. 4 



1 IT. latifolia Mx. Culm 2 to if, smooth, subsimple ; Ivs. 8 to- 18' by G to 12", 

 lance-linear, glabrous, rough-edged ; sheaths longer than the internodea ; panicle 

 loose, 8 — 12' long, nodding; spikelets all on long peduncles, about 10" long, 

 ovate, flat, about lO-flowered ; glumes unequal, near twice shorter than the fls. — 

 Dry woods, middle and "Western States. Singularly elegant and showy. Aug. 



2 tr. panioulata L. Sea-side Oats. Culm 4 to 8f ; Ivs. narrow, convolute, 

 very long ; sheaths fringed at the throat ; pan. large and spreading ; spikelets ovate, 

 short-pediceled, 12 to 20-flowered, several of the lower fls. neutral; pales about 

 equal; the lower 9-veined, obtuse; stam. 3. — Sand hills along the coast, Ta. to 

 Pla. A tall rank grass. Jl., Aug. 



3 U. nitida Baldw. Culm very slender, wiry, branched below; 2 to 5f; Ivs. 

 narrow, 2 to 4" wide ; pan. slender and spike-like or with severe spike-like 

 spreading branches; spjfefets.subsessile, broader Hum long, aiout 1-flowered, the 2 

 or 3 lower and the 1 highest abortive ; pales about equal, long-pointed, the upper 

 re-incurved at base ; stam. 1. Ga. to La. Whole plant very smooth and shining. 

 Jn., Jl. 



4 TJ. gracilis Mx. Culm slender, leafy, 3 to 4f; Ivs. broadly-linear, tapering to 

 a slender point, flat, 12 to 18' long; sheaths shorter than the joints; pan. long 

 raoemous, branches solitary, short, remote, erect ; spikelets with about 3 fertile 

 fls. ; lower pale spreading, -J longer than the upper ; glumes rigid, acute. — Sea- 

 coasts, N. Y. to Ga. and La. Aug. 



45. PHRAG'ffllTES Trin. Eeed. Spiktelets 3 to 6-flowered, the 

 lowest flower sterile and monandrous ; rachis beset with long, silky- 

 hairs ; glumes 2, acute, keeled, very unequal ; lower pale subulate, 

 silky-villous at base (except in the lowest flower) ; stam. 3 ; style 2 ; 

 caryopsis free. — 2f Grasses tall, with broad, flat Ivs. and a large, diffuse 

 panicle. 



P. commiims Trin. Culm smooth, stout, erect, 6 — 12f high, often an inch in 

 diameter at base ; Ivs. lanceolate, 1 — 2f by 1 — 2', rough-edged, smooth and glau- 

 cous -f panicle large and loosely branched, branches in half whorls, rather erect, 

 slender; spikelets 3 — 5-flow6red, very slender, erect; glumes shorter than the 

 flowers which are of a-dark hue, with tufts of white, silky hairs, about as long as 

 the paleae. — 2f Swamps and about ponds, Mass. to 111. and Con. July. (Arundo 

 IPhragmites L., ed. 2.) 



46. ARUNDINA'RIA Eich. Cane. Spikelets compressed, 5 to 12- 

 flowered; flowers imbricated, distant; glumes 2, small, awnless ; lower 

 pale ovate, acuminate-mucronate, not carinate ; stamens 3 ; stigmas 3 ; 

 pluraous; scales 3, entire ; caryopsis free, deciduous. — 2|! Grasses shrubby 

 or arborescent, often branched, the branches, verticillate-fascicled. Fls. 

 both perfect and staminate. 



A. maorosperma Mx. Culm woody, from strong, running rhizomes; Ivs. 

 linear-lanceolate, smooth, glaucous, all dimensions from 1' by 3" to If by 2' ; 

 sheaths fringed at throat ; flowering branches mostly arising from the rootstocka, 

 6 to 12' or 18' high, with sheaths only, bearing 1 to several large (1 to 2-J-') spike- 

 lets; pales herbaceous, 8" long. — ^In swampy soils, throughout the S. States. The 

 fertile plants are small and inconspicuous, while the barren arise 15 to 2 5f in the 



