Tin: Grasses ok Tennksskk. 108 



hij^h, broad spreadinj^ leaves and a droopinj^ panicle of large, flat 

 spikelets. vSheaths j^hibrous; ligiile short, minutely ciliate; leaves 

 five to eight inches long, one-half to one inch wide, lanceolate, 

 glabrous. Panicle five to ten inches long, the slender branches 

 spreading. Spikelets nine- to twenty-ilowered, ovate, strongly flat- 

 tened, one to one and a half inches long and about half as broad; 

 flowering glumes ciliate on the keel below, scabrous above, many- 

 nerved. Callus with a few short hairs. Palea shorter than the 

 glumes, narrow, strongly curved near the base. 



This is a strong-rooted native grass growing along streams and 

 thicket borders, and the showy panicles are often gathered for 

 winter bouquets. It is not' recognized as possessing any agricul- 

 tural value. 



51. BRIZA, Linn. vSp. PI. 70 (1753.) 



Spikelets many-flowered, rounded-ovate, or heart-shaped, pani- 

 culate, rachilla articulated above the empty glumes and between 

 the florets; florets crowded, the uppermost usually imperfect. 

 Glumes membranaceous, with broad, scarious margins, strongly 

 concave, rounded on the back and more or less ventricose. Empty 

 glumes two, subequal, shorter than the florets. Floral glumes 

 three- to many-nerved, cordate at the base, awnless. Palea much 

 smaller than its glume, obtuse, two-keeled. Stamens three. 

 Styles short, distinct; stigmas plumose. 



Annuals or perennials, with flat or convolute leaves, loosely 

 flowered and open, or narrow and spike-like panicles. Several of 

 the species are cultivated for their graceful panicles, which are 

 used in winter bouquets. 



Species twelve, in Europe, North Africa, and the temperate re- 

 gions of South America, extending north into Mexico. The fol- 

 lowing may be found here in cultivation. 



I. Briza media Linn. Quaking-grass. 



A slender, erect perennial with rather short flat leaves and ca- 

 pillary spreading panicles. Ligule short, truncate. Spikelets 

 rounded ovate, five- to nine-flowered, on rather long slender pedi- 

 cels: empty glumes nearly equal, shorter than the first flowering 

 glume. 



This is a pretty, ornamental grass, frequently cultivated in gar- 

 dens. 



Briza minor L. is a more slender and annual grass, with elongated 

 acute ligules and smaller triangular spikelets. 



Briza maxima L. is a stouter plant than B. media, with broader 

 leaves, oblong ligule, and nodding panicles of rather large, ovate, 

 seven- to fifteen-flowered spikelets. 



The species are all ornamental and valued for dry bouquets. 



52. DACTYLIS. Linn. Sp. PI. 71 (1753.) 



Spikelets three- to five-flowered, nearly sessile in dense fascicles, 

 forming an interrupted, one-sided panicle; rachilla articulated 



