126 Bulletin VII. 1. 



articulated above the empty glumes and between the florets. 

 Lower empty glumes two, nearly equal, rigid, narrow, one- to 

 three-nerved, acute or awn-pointed, persistent, and subtending the 

 florets like an involucre. Flowering glumes shorter than the 

 empty ones, rounded on the back, obscurely five-nerved, obtuse, 

 acute or awmed from the apex. Paleas a little shorter than the 

 glumes, two-keeled. Stamens three; styles short; stigmas plumose. 

 Ovary hairy at the apex. Grain adherent to the glumes and 

 paleas. 



Erect grasses with flat leaves and closely-flowered terminal 

 spikes. 



Species about twenty, in the temperate regions of the eastern 

 and western hemispheres. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



I. Glumes and axis of the spike smooth, empty glumes lance- 

 olate, short-awned i. E. Virginicus. 



1. Glumes and axis of the spike not smooth; empty glumes 



awl-shaped or aristiform, rather long-awned 2 



2. Empty glumes and florets rough, with short stiff hairs; spike 



4 to 9 inches long 2. E. Canadensis. 



2. Empty glumes and florets pilose, with spreading hairs; 

 spikes 2 to 4 inches long 3. E. striatus. 



1. Elymiis Virginicus Linn. Virginia Lyme-grass. 



Plate XL VI. Figure 182. 



An erect, smooth grass, two to three feet high, with rigid ter- 

 minal spikes which are often partly included in the upper leaf- 

 sheath. Sheaths striate, smooth or hairy; ligule short; leaf-blade 

 six to twelve inches long, two to four lines wide, acute, scabrous. 

 Spikes three to five inches long, the rachis smooth or scabrous. 

 Spikelets two- to three-flowered, smooth; empty glumes lanceo- 

 late, thick and rigid, strongly nerved, awn-pointed; flowering 

 glumes lanceolate, rounded on the back, awned. 



Along streams, in the borders of woods and thickets, common. 

 July — August. This grass has the appearance of possessing some 

 agricultural value, but it forms no turf, and by the time it blooms 

 the lower leaves are all dead, and the stems rather hard. 



2. Elymus Canadensis Linn. Canada Lyme-grass or Terrell-grass. 



Plate XLVI. Figure 183. 



A rather stout, smooth grass, three to five feet high, with flat, 

 green or glaucous, scabrous leaves, six to twelve inches long. 

 Sheaths smooth. Spikes four to nine inches long, exserted, nod- 

 ding; rachis hirsute. Spikelets mostly in pairs, three- to five- 

 flowered, with rigid glumes; empty glumes subulate, three- to four- 

 nerved at base, awn-pointed; flowering glumes rough-hairy or 

 nearly smooth, usually long-awned. 



Variety glaucifolius Gray, is glaucous throughout. 



Frequent in low thickets along streams and in rich open woods. 



