GRAMINK.E. 411 



7. AGIiOSTIS, Linn. Bent-Grass. 



Gr. agios, a field ; the place of growth. 



Spikelets l-flo\vcred, in an open panicle. Glumes 

 somewhat unequal, usually longer than the palcse, pointless. 

 PaLEJE very thin, pointless, naked; the lower 3 to 5-nerved, 

 mostly awoed on the back ; the upper often minute or want- 

 ing. Stamens mostly 3. Grain free. — Culms usually 

 tufted \ slender, bearing a diffuse jpdnicfe. 



Sec. I. Triciiodium, Michx.— Upper pateai none, or obsolete. 



1. A. SCABRUM, Mahl- Rough Thin-grass. 



Culm geniculate at base, assurgent; leaves flat, linear lanceolate, scabrous on 

 the margin; panicle at length diffusely spreading, pale green, the branches short; 

 glumes unequal, longer than the awnless palete. (A. perennans, Gray.) 



Damp shaded places. July. Aug. Per. Culmsl to 2 feet high. Leaves 4 toC 

 inches long, 1 to 2 lines wide. 



2. A. LAXIFLORUM, Michx. Hair-grass. 



Culms very slender, erect; leaves short and narrow, lance-linear, the lower soon 

 involute; panicle very loose and divergent, purplish ; glumes unequal acute, longer 

 than the awaless or short-awned paleaa. 



Dry fields, common. May. June. Per. Citlm IS inches high. Lower leaves 3 

 to inches long, becoming filiform. Spikelets clustered at the eitrcmeties of Lao 

 branchlets. A somewhat, variable species. 



Sec. ii.. Agcoitis proper. — Upper palcce manifest. 



3. A. vulgaris, With. Red-top. Herd's-grass. 



Sooiitoc\s creeping; panicle oblong, with spreading short branches; ligule very 

 short, truncate; loiter palece nearly equalling the glumes, chietly awnless, 3-nerved. 

 (A. hispida, Willd.) • 



Low meadows, introduced. Culm 1 to 2 feet high, mostly upright. Leaves linear 

 Panicle purple, i to C inches long. A valuable grass. 



4. A. AL15A, L. White Bent- Grass. Flavin- Grass. 



ranicle narrow, contracted after flowering, the branches rough; ligule oblong or 

 linear; Iptoer paiece rarther shorter than the glumes 5-nerveJ, awnless, or rarely 

 short-awned on the hack. 



Moi.-t meadows and fields, introduced: native northward. July. Culm 1 to 2 

 feet- higli, asf fending, sooting at the lower joints. Panicle greenish-white or baro» 

 ly tinged with purple. A valuable grass. 



8. CIXNA, Linn. Wood Reed-Grass. 



Spikelets 1-fiowered, flattened, crowded in an open 

 panicle. Glumes lanceolate, acute, strongly keeled, nearly 

 equal. Pale^e '2, nearly equal, compressed, shortly stipi- 

 tate, naked at the base, the lower one longer than the upper, 

 short-awned near the summit. Stamen 1, opposite the up- 

 per palece. Grain linear-oblong, free. — Perennial, rather 

 sweet-scented grasses, with simple upright culms, bearing a large 

 wmmund terminal panicle, and linear- lanceolate fiat leaves* 



