58 TRIANDRIA 1HGYNIA 



Root perennial, creeping. Culm 2 to 3 feet lone, very much branched and dii- 

 fuse, smooth ; nodes swelling. Leaves lanceolate, nerved, scabrous, 4 to ft inches 

 long: sheaths smooth, open; ligule lacerate. Panicles slender, with the spike, 

 lets often somewhat densely clustered, on the branches. Glumes nearly equal, 

 lanceolate, with a long slender acumi nation. Pulca a little (and often very Little) 

 longer than the glumes, scabrous, somewhat pilose at base ; the lower one ending 

 in an awn 4 or 3 times as long as the spikelet ; awn often purple. 



Hob. Borders of woods ; Eachus' clearing: frequent. Fl. Sept. Fr. Octo. 



Ohs. Collected by D. Townsend, Esq. in 1830. It is nearly allied to the pre- 

 ceding; but differs in habit— -beim: much branched, and diffuse,— and more resem- 

 bles Muhlenbcrgia diffusa^ at first view. Several of the. species have lately been 

 referred to Muhlenbergia ; but it seems to me to be rather an unnecessary inno- 

 vation. Some 15 or IC additional species, (as the genus formerly stood,) have 

 been enumerated in the U. Slates. Our native species have not been considered 

 particularly valuable, by Agriculturists. 



34. MUHLENBERGIA. Schreb. Jfutt. Gen. 64, 



[In honor of the late Hairy Muhlenberg, 1). I), one of our most distinguished 



Botanists.] 



Glumes 2, very minute, unequal ; one scarcely perceptible. P 0,1cm 2, 

 many times longer than the glumes, linear-lanceolate, nerved, hairy at 

 base ; the lower one terminating In a long awn. 



1. M. diffusa, Sqhreb. Culm decumbent, branching, diffuse ; leaves 

 lance-linear ; panicles terminal and lateral, slender, branched, branches 

 apprcsscd ; awn about as long as the palea. Beck, Bot. p. 391. Icon, 

 FM. Sk. 1. tab. 5. /. 1. Si'kcim. Gray, Gram. 2. no. 106. 

 Dilcpyrum minutiflorum. J\Ix. Jim. 1. p. 40. 



Spue adi xo Muhlenuergia. Vulgb — Drop-seed Grass. 



Root perennial, fibrous. Culm slender, decumbent, 12 to 18 inches Long, gen- 

 iculate, compressed, branched, glabrous : branches assurgent. Leaves lance-linear, 

 narrow, 2 to 3 inches long, scabrous, (glabrous, Muhi.): sheaths open, striate, 

 smooth, pubescent at throat ; ligule very short, finally lacerate, or filiate* Pani- 

 cles terminal and lateral, slender, often purple : branches alternate) somewhat dis- 

 tant, appressed, racemose, scabrous ; spikelelssN pedicellate* Glumes persistent, 

 very minute; the lower one scarcely perceptible, the upper one truncate, laciniatt- 

 dentate. Palea unequal ; the lower one longer, lame-linear, almost triangular, 

 with 3 prominent scabrous nerves, and terminating in a slender scabrous awn, 

 which is generally purplish, and a little longer than the palea. Seed linear-oblong, 

 acute, brown. 



Hob. Borders of open woodlands, and pastures: common. FL Aug. .FY* Sept. 



2. M. ERF.c.TA, Schreb. Culm erect, simple ; leaves lanceolate ; panicle 

 terminal, simple, racemose; awn twice as long as the palea; upper 

 palea with an awn at base, lodged in the dorsal groove. Beck, Bot. 

 p. 391. 



M. aristata. Pers. Syn. I. p. 73. 

 M. Brachyelytrum. Gray, Gram. 1. Specim. no. 11. 

 Dilcpyrum aristosum. Mx. Jim. I. p. 40. 

 Brachyelytrum aristatum. Torr. FL I. p. 102. 



