TRIANDRIA DIGYNTA 7 I 



Roof annual. Culm (5 to 12 inches high, very slender, erect, geniculate atbasej, 

 often growing in bunches. Leaves linear, setaceous, nerved, involute, erect, 1 toC 

 nr 3 inches Ion?: sheaths nerved, slightly pubescent; ligule short, laciniate-deft- 

 tate. Panicle 2 to 4 inches long, simple, racemose or Spikeform, somewhat secund, 

 rachis angular, lower brandies in pairs. Spikelets 3 to 9-flowered, (usually 5 to / - 

 flowered)) when old becoming brown. Glume* nearly equal, subulate, very acute. 

 Florets distinct, a little distant, and at length spreading. Loiter palea scabrous, 

 sub-coriaceous, linear-lanceolate, involute, not keeled) acuminate, generally ter- 

 minating in an awn about one third the length of the floret. Upper palea linear, 

 acuminate, membranaceous, with a green nerve, or keel, at each margin. Seed 

 brown, linear, silicate on the upper side. 



flab. Dry, sterile banks; borders of woods : frequent. FL June. Ft. July. 



Obs. This is a slender, wiry little species, of no value to the agriculturist; and 

 pretty much confined to sterile soils. 



2. F. elatior, L. Panicle much branched, loose and rather spread- 

 ing, nodding; s pikelets ovate-lanceolate, 4 to 6-flowercd; lower p&letb 

 acuminate, or mucronate. Beck, Hot. /;.40G. Not? of TVilld.Pers. 

 JMtthL nor J\*utt. Not of Flornl. Cestr. 

 Bromus littoreus? IVilld. Sp. 1. p. 433. Per*. San. I. p. 9U. 

 Tali.kii Fkstica. 



Root perennial, creeping. Culm 3 to 4 or 5 feet high, smooth. Leaves lanceo- 

 late, smooth, scabrous on the margin, 9 to 15 inches long : sheaths nerved, smooth. 

 loose; ligule very short. Panicle 1 or 5 to 10 inches long, generally nodding; 

 branches mostly in pairs, compressed or angular, margined and scabrous. Spike* 

 lets ovate-lanceolate, 4 to G- flowered, racemose on the branches. Glumes unequal; 

 Lower one shorter, linear-lanceolate, keeled, upper one lanceolate, obscurely C 

 ncrved, with a scarious margin. Lower palea lanceolate, acute or mucronate, ob- 

 scurely 5-nerved. Upper palea linear, white, with a green nerve, or keel, at each 

 doubled or indexed margin. Seed oval, concave on the upper side. 



Hub. Wet meadows and low grounds : frequent. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



Obs. Supposed to be introduced. It is usually a larger plant than the following, 

 (to which it is nearly allied,)— but is not so valuable, neither is it so common ; be- 

 ing mostly confined to low grounds, or ditch banks in swampy meadows. 



3. F. phatexsis, /fuels. Panicle branched, rather erect and secund : 

 spikelets oblong, or linear-lanceolate, 7 to 9-flowered ; lower pale© sca- 

 rious at apex and rather acute, never mucronate. Meek, JBot. p. 406. 

 Specim. Gray, Gram. 2. no. 126. 



F. elatior. Florul. Cestr.p. 13. WilldJ Sp. I. p. 425. Pers? Syn. I. 

 p. 94. Muhl? Catal.p. 12. Ejusd. Gram. p. 164. BigeL? Most. 

 p, 36. 



Meadow Festuca. Vvtgd — Fescue Grass. 

 Gallice— Festuque des Pre's. Germanice— Schwingel. 



Root perennial. Cul?n2 to 3 feet high, glabrous. Leaves lanceolate, nerved, 

 smooth, shining beneath, scabrous on the margin, 4 to 6 or 8 inches long: sheaths 

 nerved, smooth ; ligule very short, or obsolete. Panicle 4 to 6 or 8 inches lone, 

 somewhat secund, mostly erect; branches generally single, often subdivided.' 

 S/rtAre/e/s linear-lanceolate, about 7-flovcred, racemose on the branches, smootfc . 

 often purplish. Glumes unequal ; lower one keeled, upper one larger, 3-nerved. 

 scarkms on the margin. Lower palea ovate-lanceolate, »cariouf or the juargfr. 



