TRIAXDRIA DIGYNIA 



79 



Root annual. Culm 6 to 12 inches long, often decumbent and geniculate at base, 

 smooth. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 1 to 3 or 4 inches long, Striate, smooth beneath, 

 slightly scabrous on the margin and upper surface : sheaths striate, smooth, beard- 

 ed with long white hairs at throat ; ligulc short, ciliate. Panicle loose ; branch's 

 fiexuose, slightly scabrous, the lower ones subverticillatc, mostly pilose In the ax- 

 ils. Spikelets linear, or lance-linear, 5 to 12 or 13-flowered. Glumes unequal, 

 nerveless, membranaceous; the lower one much smaller, acute. Loiter puha 

 f»vate, obscurely 3-nerved, slightly scabrous on the keel, purple near the apex; 

 upper paleu n little shorter, somewhat conduplicatc, scabrous on the two keels, 

 persistent on the rachis. Seed oblong, brown. 



Hub. Road-sides, Gardens, &c. frequent. Fl. July— Aug. Fr. SepU 



Obs. This appears to be perfectly identical with specimens from Italy, sent rue 

 by Professor Hooker. 



11. P. Eragrostis, L. Culm oblique, geniculate, somewhat cespi- 

 tose ; panicle expanding, pyramidal ; branches subdivided, sparingly pi- 

 lose in the axils; spikelets ovate-oblong, 12 to 20 or 30-tlowered ; 

 glumes nearly equal. JBeck, flat, p. 412. Specim. Gray, Cram. 



1. no. 53. 



Also? P. megastachya. Per*. Syn. I. p. 90. J\*utt. Gen. I. p. 67. 

 Briza Eragrostis. Mx. Jm. 1. /;. 7 2. Muhl. CataL p. 12. Ejusd. 

 (J ram. p. 154- Bart. Phil 1. p. 03. Florul. Cestr. p. 13. Also ! 

 ll'illd. Sp. 1. p. 405. Ait* Kvw. 1. /;. 159. Pursh, Am. 1. p. 82. 

 Ell. Sk. 1. p. 165. Icov, Ell. /. r. tab. 10. /. 1. 

 Megastachya Eragrostris. Li mil. Ency. p. 68. 

 Vulgo — Quake Grass. GalUce — Paturin amourette*. 



Root annual. Culm somewhat decumbent, l to 2 feet long, geniculate* nodose 

 glabrous. Leave* lanceolate', attenuate at th • end, striate, smooth beneath, scab- 

 rous on the margin and upper surface: sheaths striate, smooth, pilose at throat* 

 Ugule short, bearded. Panicle pyramidal ; branches expanding, fiexuose, scab- 

 rous, subdivided, the subdivisions often bearing k 2, 3, or 4 spikelets. Spikelets of a 

 bluish green, or leaden color, lance-ovate, or ovate-oblong, (fl ►metimes very Long, 

 and nearly linear.) 12 to 20-Howered, (the long oiks often more than 30-fl rwered). 

 Glumes nearly equal, lanr.c-ovatc, scabrous on the keel. Lower palea ovate, rath- 

 er acute, 3-nerved. roughish under a lens; upper palea shorter, oblanceolale, 

 concave on the back, ciliate on the two keels. Seed roundish-ovoid, brown. 

 flab. Gardens, road-sides, &c. frequent. Fl. Aug. Fr. September. 



Obs. The plant emits a peculiar odor, when fresh, or recently gathered. I am 

 not entirely confident that all the Synonyms I have quoted belong to this specie* 

 nor have I the means of determining; but have been led to suspect, from tin- de- 

 scriptions, and the variety in the form and size of the spikelets, that such may be 

 the fact. It is a handsome grass,— a native of the south of Europe,and now exten- 

 sively naturalized ; but it is of little or no value to the AL'iiculiurist. There arc 

 14 or 15 additional species enumerated in the U. States. 



f f Spikelets aggregated. 



50. DACTYLIS. L. JSTutt. Gen. 103. 

 [Greek, Dactylos, a Finger: in reference to the form of the spikes.] 



Spikelets 3 to 5-flowered, compressed, abrogated. Glumes unequal 

 shorter than the florets, acuminate. Paiem nearly equal, lanceolate' 

 acuminate ; the lower one emanrinate, keeled, cuspidate ; the upper one 

 somewhat conduplicate, bilid at apex. Scales dentate. 





