140 SPOROBOLTJS. 



longer than they, naked, awnless and mostly pointless; 

 the lower 1-nerved (rarely somewhat 3-neryed). Sta- 

 mens chiefly 3. Stigmas simply feathery ; grain 

 (caryopsis oblong or cylindrical, deciduous ; culms 

 wiry or rigid-; leaves inviolate, usually bearded at 

 the throat, their sheaths often enclosing the panicles. 

 (!N^ame unexplained.) 



1. ViLFA AsPEEA (Rough-Leaved Yilfa, Rush 

 Grass). Flowers in September; of no agricultural 

 value. 



2. ViLFA Vagin^floka (Hidden-Flowered Vilfa). 

 Common on barren, sandy soilF, from Maine to Illin- 

 ois ; no value. 



3. Yilfa Cttspidata, Torr. Borders of Maine, 

 on St. John' s river, etc. 



4 Vilfa ViEGiisricA, Beauv. Sandy sea shore, 

 Yirginia and Southern States. 



7. SPOROBOLUS— Robt. Brown. Drop Seed Grass. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Spikelets 1 (rarely 2), flowered in a contracted or 

 open panicle ; flowers nearly as in Yilfa ; the palets 

 longer than the unequal glumes ; stamens 2 to 3 ; 

 grain a globular auticle (hyaline or rarely coriaceous), 

 containing a loose seed, decidous. 



(Whence the name from two Greek words, meaning 

 seed and to cast forth. 



