GRAMINEJE. 419 



1. P. ANNUA, L. Low Spear-grass. 



Culms spreading or decumbent, flattish ; panicle short and broad, often 1-sided, 

 at length spreading; .-/• ,; 8* > w l ' '• V(!rv shortpediceUed, 3 to 7 -flowered. 



Cultivated and waste groun Is, -very common. April — 0;t. Culms 3 to 8 inches 

 high, very smooth. Leaves lance-linear, short, bright brown. 



2. P. PUNG1NS, Nutt. Vernal Spear-grass. 



Culm compressed; panicle, somewhat simple, spreading; spikelets lanceolate, 8 or 

 4-fiowered, crowded at the eztremeties of the branches ; flowers rather obtuse. 



JLocky places. April. May. Per. Culm stploniferous from the base, 1 to 2 feet 

 high. Le ives very short, i uspidate, the radical ones long, linear, thoseof the culm 

 usually 2, lanceolate, very >hort. 



3. P. SEROTINA, Ehrh. Red-top. 



Culm erect, smooth ; panicle diffuse, elongated, at length somewhat nodding at 

 the top, the branches mostly in pairs ; spVceUts numerous ovate lanceolate, 2 to 4- 

 ftowered; glumes lanceolate, sharp pointed. 



Banks of streams and wet meadows, common. June. July. Per. Culm 2 to 3 

 feet high. Leaves narrow-linear, flat, smooth. Panicle 6 to 10 inches long, the 

 branches rno-tly whorled. Spikelets greeu. or often tinged with dull purple. 



4. P. paA.TSN T 3[3, L Spear-grass. Meadow grass, 



Culms from a creej ing base, and with the Bheaths smooth: panicle pyramidal, 

 somewhat crowded, the branch-s commonly in fives, spreadiug; {■pikelets 3 to 5- 

 flowered, oblong ovat •; flowers acute. 



Fields and meadows, very common in cultivation. May — July. Per. Root 

 creeping; Culm 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves keeled, linear, abruptly acute, deep green, 

 the lower very lo:;g. Highly prized.as n pasture, grass. 



5. P. COMPRESSA, L. Blue-grass. Wi re-grass. 



.Calm much flattened, obliquely ascending; panicle, contracted, somewhat 1- 

 aided; gpffcetets A to ^flowered, flattened; flowers linear eliiptkai. rather obtuse, 

 hairy beiow on the k el. 



Fields and pastures, common ; introduced. Juno, July. Per. Root creeping 

 extensively. Culm 12 to 18 inches high. Leaves short, biuish, cmooth. 



6. P. CONFZRTA, Ell. Clustered Meadow Grass. 



<hdm eifect, geniculate ; panicle terminal and axillary, erect; spikelets about 8- 

 flowered, compressed ; flowers clustered, smooth. 



Meadows, rare. Shw.initx. Par, Culm 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves smooth, serra* 

 lata on the margin. Panicle 4 to 8 inches long. 



25. ERAGKOSTIS, Beauv. 



An early name, probably from era, the earth, and Agrostis. 



SriKELETS 2 to VO-flowered, nearly as in Poa, except that 

 the lower palea is but 3-nerved, not webby at the base, and 

 the upper is persistent on the rachis for some time after the 

 rest of the flower is fallen. — Culms often branching : leaves 

 linear, frequently involute, and the Uyule bearded. Panicds 

 various. 



1. E. pilosa; Beauv. Pilose Er agrostis. 



Panicle loose, ample, with capillary branches, all but ihe lower scattered and 



