GRAMINEAE (GRASS FAMILY) 



123 



* * Spikelets, excluding awn, 6-9 mm. long. 



2. 0. asperifblia Michx. Culms tufted, 2-7 dm. high, eveot or geniculate at 

 the lowest node ; sheaths usually crowded at the base ; blades erect, scabrous 

 especially ou the glaucous lower surface, those of the base 

 often exceeding the culm, 5-8 mm. wide, flat or involute on 

 the margins, attenuate ; culm-leaves usually less than 1 cm. 

 long; panicle contracted, 6-12 cm. long, the branches simple, 

 erect ; spikelets, excluding awn, 6-8 mm. long ; glumes subequal, 

 short-ciliate at the apiculate summit ; lemma nearly or quite as 

 long as the second glume, sparingly pubescent ; awn 6-10 mm. 

 long ; lodicules | the length of the palea. — 

 Wooded hillsides, along waterways, etc., Nfd. 

 to B. C, s. to Pa., Minn., and N. Mex. June. 

 Fig. 80. 



3. 0. racembsa (Sm.) Richer. Culms tufted, 

 erect, 3-12 dm. high, leafy to the summit; leaves 

 1-3.5 dm,, long, 4-15 mm. wide, flat, narrowed 

 toward the base, taper-pointed, scabrous below, 

 pubescent above ; panicle 7-26 cm. long, branches 

 nearly simple, usually ascending ; spikelet, excluding awn, 7-9 mm. 

 long ; glumes equal, acute ; lemma somewhat shorter, pubescent, 

 becoming black in fruit; awn 1.5-2.5 cm. long; lodicules minute. 

 {Milium Sm. ; 0. melanocarpa Muhl.) — Rocky woods, Me. to 

 Ont., southw. to Del. and la. June-Oct. Fig. 81. 



80. O. asijerilblia 



Xll/ji. 



Spikelet (below). 

 Floret (above). 



81. O. racemosa. 

 Spikelet x 1. 



24. STiPA t. Feathbk Grass 



Spikelets 1-flowered, in terminal panicles ; glumes narrow, acute or bristle- 

 tipped ; floret with a bearded usually sharp-pointed callus ; lemma convolute, 

 indurated, including the small palea and perfect flower, terminating in a simple 

 strong persistent geniculate twisted awn ; grain cylindrical, tightly included 

 in the indurated fruiting lemma. — Rather large tufted perennials with involute 

 leaves. (Name from o-tiStti;, tow, in allvjsion to the flaxen appearance of the 

 feathery awns of the original species.) 



* Glumes 4-12 mm. long. 



*- Callus blunt; awn 1 cm. or less long. 



1. S. canadensis Poir. Culms tufted, 3-6 dm. high ; leaves 4-12 cm. long, 

 narrow, involute, scabrous ; panicle loose, 6-12 cm. long, the opposite few- 

 flowered branches ascending ; glumes subequal, oblong, subacute, 4 mm. long, 

 slightly exceeding the pubescent oblong lemma ; awn 6-10 mm. long. (S. 

 Michardsoni Man. ed. 6, not Link ; S. Macounii Scribn. ) — Woods and thickets, 

 N. B., Me., N. H., N. Y., n. shore of L. Superior, Sask., and northw. 



■I- H- Callus acute; awn more than 1.5 cm long. 



2. S. virldula Trin. Culms clustered, 5-10 dm. high, 

 sparingly branched ; basal sheaths overlapping, the long 

 usually scabrous involute or sub-involute blades elongated, 

 upper blades shorter, mostly setaceous ; panicle narrow, 

 erect, 1-2 dm. long, the branches mostly in pairs, erect, 

 rather densely flowered from near the base ; glumes 7-9 mm. 

 long, acuminate-setaceous, exceeding the pale appressed- 

 pubescent lemma ; awn 2-4 cm. long ; callus usually rather 

 short. — Prairies and meadows, w. Minn., the Dakotas, and 

 southwestw. July, Aug. — Variable. 



3. S. avenicea L. (Black Oat Grass.) Culms tufted, 

 slender, erect or ascending, 3-10 dm. high, leafy at the base ; 

 sheaths shorter than the internodes ; blades 1-1.6 mm. wide, ■82, 8. avenacea x i%, 

 usually involute, the basal ones ^J the length of the culips, Flower and glumes. 



