TRIANDRIA TRIGYXIA "* 95 



1. T. dactyloibes, /,. Spikes mostly 2 or 3, aggregated or digitate, 

 terminal ; starainate spikelets above, pistillate at the base. Beck-, Mot. 

 p. 399. Specim. Gray, Gram. 1. no. 40. 



Fixgkr-likk Tripsacum. Vvlgb — Gama Crass. Sesame Grass. 



Root perennial. Culm erector obi ique, 1 to 5 or 6 fret high, somewhat com- 

 pressed, channelled on one side, smooth, solid with pith: nodes smooth, rather 

 tumid, with a dark brown contracted ring. Leaves large, often 3 feet long, and 

 an inch to an inch and half wide, linear-lanceolate, keeled, smooth beneath, rough - 

 ish «»n the upper surface, Serrulate on the margin, contracted and pilose at base : 

 sheaths nerved, smooth ; ligule very short, ciliate. Sju/ces generally 2 or 3 (rare- 

 !y 1, or 4), terminal, digitate / raehis articulated. Staminate Jloirers above . 

 spikelets somewhat in pairs, on two sides of the triangular raehis, each 2-flowered: 

 the inner one usually neuter, sometimes both staminate. Glumes nearly equal ; 

 the lower or outer one coriaceous, nerved, lance-oblong margins thin and index, 

 ed ; upper one subcoriaceous, boat shaped. Palea of each floret 2, very thin and 

 membranaceous, nearly as long as the glumes. Stamen* 3; anthers orange-color- 

 e-1. becoming dark purple. Scales% cuneate, emarginate. Pistillate Jloirers near 

 the base of the spikes : spikelets 1 to 6 or 8 on each spike, imbedded in recesses of 

 the semi-cylindrical raehis. cadi 3-flowcred; the inner floret fertile, the ethers 

 abortive. Glumes 2, nearly equal in length; the outer one ovate, rather acute, 

 indurated and polished, embracing the florets, closing the cavity in the raehis, 

 except a bearded foramen or sinus, at eacli side of its base ; the inner one subco 

 riaceous, somewhat boat-shaped, acuminate. Palca very thin and membranace 

 ous, 2 to each fl 'ret,— but, by the abortion of 2 of the florets, they appear like 6 

 paleae enveloping one ovary. Scales 2, oblong, truncate. Ovary lance-ovoid, with 

 the rudiments of 3 stamens at base. Style 1 ; stigmas 2, large, plumose or villcu*. 

 dark purple. Seedovoxti, smooth. 



Hub. Great Valley, near the Warren Tavern : rare. Fl. July. Ft. Sept. 



Obs. This stout and very remarkable grass has, as yet, only been found in the 

 above locality, in Chester county ; — where it was first detected by Mr. Joshua 

 Hoopes, in 1828. It is difficult to preserve the spikes entire, in dried specimens, — 

 as they incline to separate readily at the articulations of the raehis. A few years 

 ago, this grass was much extolled, by some writers in the West, as an article of 

 Fodder for Stock. The leaves and young plant may probably answer very well, 

 where better cannot be had ;— but any one who will examine the coarse culms of 

 the mature plant, may soon satisfy himself that it can never supersede the good 

 hay of this region,— nor be as valuable, in any respect, as common Indian-corn 

 fodder. It is the only species of the genus in the U. States :— the T. monostachymv 

 •f some authors, being nothing more than a single-spiked Variety. 



[Anychia dichotoma. Pentandria Monogynia.'] 



Order 3. Trigynia. 



65, MOLLUGO. L. Nutt. Gen. 125. 

 ..The ancient name of Galium Mollugo)— which this plant somewhat resembles.] 



Calyx inferior, deeply 5-parted, colored inside. Ctrsll* ©. Stamens 

 3 to 5. Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved, many-seeded. 



herbaceous : leaves mostly verticillate ; flowers axillary, p#it*acafat«, solitary > 

 *k tubambeUate. flat, Qrtl. 140. £iwtf/. CMTQMXlM4t> 



