TRIANDRIA DIGYXIA 87 



be an introduced plant; and has only been observed, as yet, at W.-si Town 

 School*— where it was collected by Mr. Pennuck Passmore, in 1834. One of two 



other species, which are generally referred to this genus, have been partially in 

 traduced into the U. States. There are none native. 



f f Glume mostly one % 



57. LOLIUM. /,. Mitt. Geiu 122. 



[A classical Latin name ; applied to this genus.] 



Spikelets many -flowered, alternate, distant, sessile, at right angles with, 

 or the edge to the rachis. (Hume a single bract, — except at the ter- 

 minal spikelet, where there are 2. Palex herbaceous, nearly equal ; 

 lower one awnless, or sometimes with a short bristle at the tip. 



1. L. FF.iiExxE, L. Spikelets longer than the glumes, linear-oblong, 

 compressed, about 7-flowered, florets awnless. Beck, Bot. p. 416. 

 Perennial Lolium. Vulgo — Ray-grass. Darnel. 

 Gallice — Yvraie vivace. Germanice — Der Lolch. Jlispanice — Joyo. 



Root perennial, creeping. Culm 1 to 2 fret high, smooth. Leaves linear-lanceolate 

 shining srreen, smooth, some what scabrous near the end : sheaths striate, glabrous, 

 (rule truncate. Spike about 6 inches long: rachis flexuose, grooved, slightly 

 sheathing the base of the spikelets. Spikelets 12 to 18 or 20, alternate, on oppo- 

 site si les of, and with their edges to the raehis, distant, sessile, compressed, longer 

 than the glumes, 7 to JJ-fl-.nwred. Glume 1 to each spikelet, (except the terminal 

 one.) lance-linear, acute, nerved, resembling a short rigid leaf. Lower jxilcu 

 lance-oblong, rather obtuse, obscurely o nerved: upper one a little longer, ciliate- 

 serrulate on the two prominent keels. 



flab. Meadow banks, and grass lots: not very common. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



Obs. This foreign grass is found in several neighborhoods ; but is not exten- 

 sively diffused, and I believe has never been cultivated here,— though somewhat 

 prized in Europe. It affords a tolerably good pasture, and makes a handsome 

 sward for yards and lawns ; but it is doubtless inferior, in value, both to Timothy # 

 and Orchard grass. One other species has been partially naturalized, in some 

 parts of the U. Stales* 



Div. VII. Sacchahixeje — Sugar-Cane Tribe. 



Inflorescence Panicled % ot spiked. Spikelets generally in jxiirs,polygamois. 

 one mostly sessile and perfect, the other pedicellate and imperfect. Glumes of 

 stouter texture than the palca. Pales delicate and membranaceous ; one of then 

 'ommonly aictied. 



58. ANDROPOGON. L. JSTutt. Gen. 88. 



[Greek; literally Man's Beard ; in allusion to the hairy florets/] 



Spikelets in pairs ; the lower one abortive, on a plumoscly bearded pe- 

 dicel, with the glumes andpalese often incomplete (or wanting); the up- 

 jxjr one perfect, mostly 1 -flowered. Glumes of the perfect spikelet 

 subcoriaceous, awnless. Palese shorter than the glumes, thin, and 

 membranaceous ; one generallv awned. 



