GRAMINEiE. 427 



H. lanatus, L. Velvet-grass. White Timothy. 



Soft-downy, pale ; panicle oblong; upper glume mueronate under the apex ; awn 

 Of the stamiuate flower recurved. 



Moist meadows. June. Per. Root fibrous. Culm 18 inches high. Leaves 2 to 

 5 inches long, flat. Glumes pubescent, whitish or tinged with purple. Introduced 

 from Europe. 



40. ANTHOXANTHUM, Linn. Vernal-grass. 



Gr. anthos, flower, and zanthos, yellow ; from the color of the spikes. 



Spikelets 3-flowered, the two lower flowers neutral and 

 each consisting of a single awned palese ; the upper flowers 

 perfect, of 2 paleae, diandrous, nearly equal, short, awnles. — ■ 

 Panicle contracted or spike-like. 



A. ODORATUM 7 L, Siceei-scented Vernal-grass. 



Panicle spiked, the spikelets spreading; one of the neutral flowers with a bent- 

 »wn near its base, the other short-awned below the tip. 



Meadows and woods, completely naturalized. June— Aug. Per. Culm about a 

 foot high, erect. Leaves short. Panicle 1 to 2 inches long, yellow or brownish 

 •when mature. Very fragrant when about half dry, 



41. PHALARIS, Linn. Canary-grass. Ribbon-grass. 



Gr. phalos, shining; in allusion to the smooth paleae. 



Spikelets 3 -flowered ; the two lower flowers mere neutral 

 rudiments! at the base of the perfect one, which is flattish 

 awnless, of 2 shining palese, shorter than the equal boat- 

 shuped glumes. Stamens 3. — Leaves broad } flat. Panich 

 dense and spike-like. 



P. ARUNDINACEA, L. Reed Canary-grass. Ribbon-grass, 



Panicle more or less branched, clustered, a little spreading when old; glumes 

 Obtusely keeled ; palece unequal ; abortive flowers hairy. 



Swamps. July. Aug. Per. Culm 2 to 5 feet high, erect, a little branching. 

 Leaves deep green, sometimes variegated with white, when it is the " Ribbon-gras***- 

 of the gardens. Panicle 2 to 4 inches long. 



42. PANICUM, Linn. Panic-grass. 



An ancient Latin name. 



Spikelets 2-flowered, naked. Glumes 2, unequal, mem-- 

 branaceous, concave. Lower flower of 1 or 2 paleas, 

 Btaminate or neutral, membranaceous. Upper flower per- 

 fect, closed, with 2 paleae, inclosing the free and grooveless 

 grain. Stamens 3. Stigmas plumose, usually purple. — . 

 JSpikelets panicled } racemed, or sometimes spiked, not iii?. 

 tol ucr ate. 



