GRASSES OF OHIO 323 



Tribe, Oryzeae. Rice Tribe. 



Grasses with monosporangiate or bisporangiate, more or less laterally 

 compressed spikelets in loose panicles; rachilla articulated b cloze the 

 empty glumes which are often minute or obsolete; stamens often 6; 

 hilum linear. 



60. Homalocenchrus Mieg. Cut-grass. 



Perennial marsh grasses with flat narrow rough and cutting leaf- 

 blades and with paniculate inflorescence. Spikelets apparently 1- 

 flowered, strongly flattened laterally, those of the open part of the 

 panicle usually sterile, those inclosed in the sheath cleistogamous 

 and fruitful ; empty glumes none ; flowering glumes boat-shaped, 

 somewhat indurated, awnless; stamens 1-6; grain ovoid, free. 



1. Branches of the rather simple panicle stiffly spreading; spikelets % in. long 

 or less. H. virginicus. 



1. Branches of the diffuse panicle generally lax; spikelets %-% in - long. 



H. oryzoides. 



1. Homalocenchrus virginicus (Willd.) Britt. Virginia Cut- 

 grass. A grass with branched, weak, ascending stems, 1-3 ft. long, 

 with clustered scaly rhizomes, and with simple panicles finally long- 

 exserted, the slender branches stiffly spreading and usually naked 

 below the middle. Lateral panicles usually included ; spikelets ob- 

 long, appressed ; lemma hispid on the keel ; stamens 2. 



In swamps and wet woods. Aug., Sept. Rather general. 



2. Homalocenchrus oryzoides (L.) Poll. Rice Cut-grass. A 

 grass with rather stout, branching stems, 1-4 ft. long, ascending from 

 a decumbent base with slender creeping rhizomes, with very rough 

 leaves and a diffusely branched, lax panicle with ascending or 

 spreading branches. Lateral panicles usually included. Spikelets 

 elliptic ; lemma hispid, strongly bristly ciliate on the keel. 



In swamps and along ditches and streams. Aug., Sept. Rather 

 general. 



61. Zizania L. Wild-rice. 



A tall monecious hydrophytic annual grass with long flat leaves 

 and large terminal panicle, the upper part consisting of carpellate 

 spikelets, the lower of staminate, with some perfect spikelets be- 

 tween the two regions. Spikelets on club-shaped pedicles, readily 

 deciduous, apparently 1-flowered, probably consisting of 2 coalescenl 

 flowers; empty glumes membranous, very minute or nearly obsolete. 

 Carpellate spikelet with a long-awned flowering glume and 6 vestigial 



