GRAMINEJE. 425 



membranaceous, the lower one awned on the back below 

 the middle, 3 to 5-nervcd. Stamens 3. 



!. A. FLEXUOSA, L. Common Hair -grass: 



Panicle loose, spreading, trichotomously branched; branches smoothish, flex- 

 uous; flowers scarcely longer than the glumes; lower palece slightly 2- toothed. 



Dry rocky or sandy places, common. June. Per. Cu'ml to 2 feet high, slender, 

 from small tufts of setaceous involute leaves. Panicle whitish, the lower branch- 

 es somewhat whorl; d. 



2. A. cjespitosa, L. Tufted Iliir-grass. 



PdmcU pyramidal or oblong; lower pateie eroded-4-toothed at the truncate apex ; 

 aum straight, short. 



Wet places. June, July. Per. CuHms 2 to 3 feet high, in close tufts. LeavtS 

 flat, linear, roughish. Panicle dull purplish, the branches somewhat whorled. 



3. A. PRiECOX, L. Early Hair-grass. 



Panicle small, oblong, somewhat spiked ; lower palece with 2 awl-poiutcd tips; 

 awn twisted, inserted below the middle, longer than the flowers. 



Sandy fields. June. Culms 3 to 4 inches high, tufted. Leaves short, smooth, 

 M^aeeoiu. Punicle few-flowered, greenish. 



35. SECALE; Linn. Rve. 



Spike-lets- solitary on the teeth of the rachis, 2' or 3- 

 fiowered ; the 2 lowest flowers fertile, sessile, opposite j the 

 upper one abortive. Glumes awl-shaped, opposit3, shorter 

 than the flowers. Lower palece with a very long awn; 

 upper often bifid at the apex- Scales abortive, hairy. 



S. Cere ale, L. Bye. 



Culm hairy beneath the spike, 4 to 6 feet high; leaves lance-linear, rough edged 

 rough above, glaucous; spike about 5 inches long, linear, compressed; palca 

 smooth; aw.« seabrous-eiliate, long. Ann. or Biennial. June. The rye has long 

 Wen cultivated and may be considered naturalized. 



36. TRISETUM, Persoon. 



Lat. Iris, three, and seta, a bristle. 



^pikelets 2 to several-flowered, usually in a contracted 

 panicle. Lower palece compressed-keeled, awned below 

 the sharply 2-cleft or 2-pointed apex : — otherwise nearly as 

 in Aira> 



T. palustre, Torr. Meadow THsetumr. 



Smooth; panicle rather long and narrow, loose, the branches capillary; spilceleti 

 flat; glumes rather unequal, shorther than the 2 smooth lanceolate flowers; lower 

 palea ending in 2 setose teeth. 



Wet meadows, rare. May— July. Per. Culm slender 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves 

 flat, lance-linear, about 3 inches long. Spikekts yellowish-white, tinged with green. 

 U2* 



