THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 49 



Genus Hordeum, Linneus. 

 Hor'-de-um. 



The ancient Latin name for barley. 



Flowers arranged in a dense spike with two or three spikelets at 

 each joint of the notched rhachis ; spikelets one-flowered, with an 

 awl-shaped rudiment of a second flower, the central spikelet of the 

 cluster perfect and sessile, the lateral ones short-stalked and imper- 

 fect or abortive ; glumes slender and bristle-form. Stamens three. 



52. Hokdeum jubatcm, Linneus. 

 Ho/-de-um ju-ba'-tum. 



Common Name. Squirrel Tail Grass. 



Annual. Stems erect. from four to ten inches high ; perfect 

 flowers bearing awns two inches long, about the s*ame length as the 

 similar glumes, all spreading. 



. This worthless grass is common in marshes and moist sand of the 

 sea shore. 



Genus Elymcs, Linneus. 

 Ef-y-mus. 



From the Greek elumos, a kind of grain. 



Spikelets Irom two to four at each joint of the rhachis of the 

 simple stout spike, sessile, from one to six-flowered ; glumes two 

 for each spikelet, nearly side by side in its front, forming a kind of 

 involucre for the cluster, narrow, rigid, from one to three-nerved, 

 acuminate or awned ; flowering glume herbaceous, rather shorter, 

 oblong or lanceolate, rounded on the back, not keeled, acute or 

 awned ; palea shorter, two-keeled. Three species occur in Maine, 

 which may be separated as follows : 



.. ( Flowers and glumes without awns E. Mollis. 



( Flowers and glumes, one or both, with awns 2 



f Spikes, two to three inches long, upright, partly enclosed in 



2 ! the upper sheath E. Virginia's. 



"j Spikes, five to nine inches long, nodding, not enclosed in the 

 ^ upper sheath E. Canadensis. 



