MONOCOTYLEDONOUS OR ENDOGENOUS PLANTS. CI 7 



STENOTAPHRUM, Trin. 



A creeping and branching grass, with theawnless spike- 

 lets sunk in excavations of the continuous flattened rachis; 

 spikelets by i^airs, one pediceled and imperfect, the other 

 sessile, and with the structure of Panicum. 



S. Americanum, Schrank, (Rottboellia dimidiata, Ell.) 

 Damp sandy places along the coast. June-September. 

 Smooth throughout. Culms flattened, creeping, the branches 

 nearly opposite ; flowering culms erect, 6'-12' high ; 

 leaves 2-6' long, linear, obtuse, flat or folded, contracted at 

 the base; spikes lateral and terminal, peduucled, 2-5' 

 long; sterile spikelet neutral or rudimentary; fertile 

 spikelet sessile, the upper glume 7-nerved, 3 times the 

 length of the lower one ; palea of the sterile flower coria- 

 ceous, like those of the perfect one. Perennial. 



ROTTBCELLIA, Brown. 



Erect perennial mostly tall grasses, with flat or channel- 

 ed leaves and spiked inflorescence ; spikes nearly terete, 

 jointed ; sjnkelefs awnless, borne by pairs at the base of 

 each joint, one imperfect, on a coriaceous and closely ap- 

 pressed pedicel, the other sessile, imbedded in an excava- 

 tion of the joint, 2-flowered; glumes 2, the exterior one 

 flat, coriaceous, with a hinge-like depression at the base, 

 the interior boat-shaped, membranaceous ; palecB hyaline, 

 1-2 in the staminate or neutral lower flower, and 2 in the 

 upper and perfect flower ; stamens 3 ; styles 2 ; grain com- 

 pressed, free; spikes solitary oil lateral and terminal pe- 

 duncles or branches. 



R. RUGOSA, Nutt. Ctclms compressed; peduncles or 

 branches clustered, short, included in the sheaths of the 

 elongated upper leaves; spikes spreading, slightly com- 

 pressed; sessile spikelet shorter than the joint; lotoer 



