TUIAXDRIA D1GYXIA 93 



I. Z, AfctfATiCA, Lambert, Panicle pyramidal; lower branches spread- 

 ing, bearing statninate flowcr6 ; upper branches nearly erect, bearing 

 pistillate flowers; spikelets on clavate pedicels; awns long; sued slen- 

 der, elongated. Bi ck, But. p. 411). Not? of Willd. 

 Z. clavulosa. Mx. Am. 1. fj. 75. IViUd. Sp. 4. /;. 394. Pers. Sin. 8. 

 /;. 5G1. Muhl. CataL /;. 8G. Jfyiw/. GYgm. />. 270. 

 Also? Z. palustris, WillcLSp. 4. p. 395. .Muhl. CataL p. SG. Ejusd. 

 Gram* p. 271. 



Acu'atic Zizama. Vulgd — Water Oats. Indian Rice. Reed; 



/»w/ perennial. Culm 4 to 6 or 7 feet high, and about half an inch in diameter 

 terete, fistular, glabrous. Leaves linear-lanceolate, nerved, keeled, 2 to 3 feet 

 Ions, and an inch to an inch and half wide, smooth on both sides, serrulate on the 

 margin : sheaths longer than the InternodeB, (shorter, Ell ) striate, smooth, the 

 base surrounded with a rtng of short silky appresscd pubescence, at the nodes ; 

 tiguh elongated, erect, lanceolate, nbrved, lacefate-dentate, mostly purplish. 

 Panicle terminal, large, loose, 1 to 2 feet long; branches verticillale; the lower 

 ones expanding, bearing Ptaminate flowers; the upper ones nearly erect, bearing 

 pistillate flowers, which .ire somewhat racem sc on the branches. St am in ate 

 .^/(7 1-[|i\vr-il: ClumesO: Palea2 % nearly equal, purplish, minutely his- 

 pid, and ciliale on the nerv< s ; lower one lance-< I long, acuminate, 5-nerved ; the 

 upper one Hnearjanceolatc, acute, 3-nervcd. Stamens 6 ; anthers greenish yel- 

 low. Scales 2, small, lanceolate, acute. Pistillate sjrikelet acicular, about an inch 

 long, 1- flowered: G/tmesO,— or a short, truncate, entire, sheath-like, or cup-fbrra 

 rudiment. Pulea 2, unequal, linear, very long, scabrous, dark greenish purple; 

 lower ono longer, closely embracing the upper one, 3-uerved, terminating in a 

 slender, stralj hi hispid awn us long as the spikelet; upper one linear, acuminate' 

 bifid at apex, 21 nerved, margins iuiiexed, scarious. S.ales lanceolate, acute. 

 Styles 2. sheet: stigmas penciMbrin. Seed slender, terete, sulcate on one side, 

 .ji) iut half an inch long. 



Hub. Swampy rivulets: Brandy wine: rare. Ft Aug.— Sept. FY. Octo. 



Obs. This has only been hdnd, as yet, at Marshall's Mill, a- d at Mr. Caleb 

 Brinton*s, near the forks of 1 ) randy win-..'. The flowers— especially the pistillate 

 ones -are remarkably caducous. .Mr. Elliott thought it intent be a valuable grass, 

 in overflowed or marshy meadows,— as Stock of all descriptions are fond of it. 

 There is oneuiher species in the U. States. 



Div. IX. QxffBJBJB — Olyra Tribe. 



iNPLOanscBNCfl &rikcd, or Panidcd. Spikelets few-Jlotcered, Mancdcous, or 

 Polygamous* 



63. ZEA. /,. „V////. Gen. 732. 

 [Greek, Zao. to live ; tlie seeds contributing eminently to the support of life] 



Hoxoicous: Stamixatk Flowkus terminal, in paniculate racemes. 

 Spikelets 2-flowercd. Glumes 2, herbaceous, nearly equal. Palex 

 membranaceous, awnless. Pistillati: Flowers lateral, axillary, 

 arranged in series on a spadi.r, which is closely enveloped by numer- 

 ous spathc-like sheaths. Spikelets 2-flowered, one floret abortive. 

 Glumes 2, carnose-inenibranaccous ; lower one shorter, very broad, 

 enianrjnate, eiliate. Palcx carnose-membranaceous, concave, obtuse, 

 awnless. Style 1, filiform, very long, exserted, pendulous. Seed 

 compressed, orbicular-reniform, or cuneate. 





