Il6 FLORA. 



scales very acute. 2-toothed, 2 mm. long, hearing an awn 3-4 mm. long. In fields 

 and waste places, eastern Mass. to Va. Also on the Pacific Coast. Local. Natural- 

 ized from Europe. Panicle silvery, shining. May-July. 



2. Aira praecox L. Early Hair-grass. (I. F. f. 386.) Glabrous and 

 smooth throughout. Culms 5-10 cm. tall, erect, from an annual root, simple, rigid; 

 sheaths clothing the whole culm, the upper one often enclosing the base of the 

 panicle ; leaves 2.5 cm. long or less, involute-setaceous ; panicle contracted, strict, 

 1.25-2.5 cm. in length ; spikelets about 3 mm. long, the empty scales acute ; the 

 flowering scales acuminate, 2-toothed, about 3 mm. long, bearing an awn 3-4 mm. 

 long. In dry fields, southern N. J. and Penn. toVa. Naturalized from Europe. 

 May -July. 



48. DESCHAMPSIA Beauv. 



Perennial grasses with flat or involute leaves, and contracted or open panicles. 

 Spikelets 2-flowered, both flowers perfect, the hairy rachilla extended beyond the 

 flowers or rarely terminated by a staminate one. Scales 4 (rarely more), the 2 

 lower empty, keeled, acute, membranous, shining, persistent ; the flowering scales 

 of about the same texture, deciduous, bearing a dorsal awn, the apex toothed. 

 Palet narrow, 2-nerved. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain 

 oblong, free, enclosed in the scale. [In honor of J. C. A. Loiseleur-Deslong- 

 champs, 1774-1849, French physician and botanist.] About 20 species, inhabiting 

 cold and temperate regions, a few occurring in the high mountains of the tropics. 

 Besides the following, some 6 others occur in the western parts of N. Am. 



Upper flowering scales reaching or extending beyond the apex of the empty scales. 

 Flowering scales about 2.5 mm. long, erose-truncate ; leaves flat. 



1. D. caespitosa 

 Flowering scales about 4 mm. long, acute or obtuse ; leaves involute. 



2. D.flexuosa. 

 Empty scales extending much beyond the upper flowering scale. 3. D. atropurpurea, 



1. Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) Beauv. Tufted Hair-grass. (I. F. f. 

 387.) Culms 6-12 dm. tall, erect, simple, smooth and glabrous. Leaves flat, 

 2-3 mm. wide, smooth beneath, strongly scabrous above, the basal ones numerous, 

 one-quarter to one-half as long as the culm, those of the culm 5-15 cm. long ; panicle 

 open, 7.5-22.5 cm. in length, the branches widely spreading or ascending, often 

 somewhat flexuous, naked at the base, the lower 5-12.5 cm. long ; spikelets 3.5- 

 4 mm. long ; flowering scales about 2.5 mm. long, erose-truncate at the apex, the 

 awns somewhat shorter or a little longer, the upper scale reaching to or extending 

 beyond the apices of the empty ones. Newf. to Alaska, south to N. J., 111., Minn, 

 and in the Rocky Mts. and Sierra Nevada to N. Mex. and Cal., mostly in wet soil. 

 Also in Europe and Asia. July-Aug. 



2. Deschampsia flexudsa (L.) Trin. Wavy Hair-grass. (I. F. f. 388.) 

 Glabrous throughout. Culms 3-7.5 dm. tall, erect, slender, simple, smooth ; leaves 

 involute-setaceous, smooth beneath, scabrous above, the basal very numerous, one- 

 fifth the length of the culm or less, those of the culm 2.5-7.5 cm. long; panicle open, 

 5-20 cm. in length, the branches ascending or erect, sometimes widely speading, 

 naked at the base, flexuous, the lower 3.75-12.5 cm. long; spikelets 4.5-5 mm. 

 long; flowering scales about 4 mm. long, acutely toothed at the apex; awns bent 

 and twisted, much exceeding the scale. In dry soil, Greenland and Newf. to Ont. 

 and Mich., south to N. Car. and Tenn. Ascends to 1500 m. in the Adirondacks. 

 Also in Europe. July-Aug. 



3. Deschampsia atropurpurea (Wahl.) Scheele. Mountain Hair-grass. 

 (I. F. f. 389.) Glabrous and smooth or very nearly so. Culms 1.5-4. 5 dm. tall, 

 erect, simple, ri^id ; leaves 2 -4 mm. wide, erect, sometimes slightly scabrous 

 above, the basal 6.25-12.5 cm. Long, those of the culm shorter; panicle contracted, 

 usually purple or purplish, 2.5-5 cm - "> length, the branches erect, or sometimes 

 ascending, the lower 1. 25-3.75 cm. long; spikelets 5 mm. long; flowering scales 

 about 2.5 mm. long, erose-truncate at the apex; awns bent and much longer than 

 the scales; upper scale much exceeded l>v the very acute outer ones. On alpine 



