120 FLORA. 



long, 2-4 mm. wide, flat, rigid, smooth beneath, scabrous above; spikes 4-5, 1. 25-5 

 cm. in length, digitate; rachis flat; spikelets 2 mm. long; outer scales hispid on 

 tin- keel, narrow, the first shorter than the second, about two-thirds as long as the 

 broad and strongly compressed third one. In fields and waste places, southern N. 

 V. to IYnn. and Tenn , south to Fla. and Tex. Abundant in the Southern States. 

 Cultivated for pasture. Naturalized from Europe. July-Sept. 



54. SPARTINA Schreb. 

 Perennial glabrous grasses, with long horizontal rootstocks, flat or involute 

 leaves, and an inflorescence of one-sided spreading or erect alternate spikes. Spike- 

 lets 1 -flowered, narrow, deciduous, borne in two rows on the rachis, articulated with 

 the very short pedicels below the scales. Scales 3; the two outer empty, keeled, 

 very unequal; the third subtending a perfect flower, keeled, equalling or shorter 

 than the second; palet often longer than its scale, 2-nerved. Stamens 3. Styles 

 filiform, elongated. Stigmas filiform, papillose or shortly plumose. Grain free. 

 [Greek, referring to the cord-like leaves of some species.] About 7 species, widely 

 distributed in saline soil, a few in fresh-water marshes. 



First scale awn-pointed, equalling the third ; second long-awned. 1. S. cynosuroides. 

 First scale acute, shorter than the third, usually one-half as long. 

 First scale strongly scabrous-hispid on the keel. 



Leaves 1.25 cm. wide or more, flat. 2. S. polystachya. 



Leaves 6 mm. wide or less. 



Spikes ascending or erect ; leaves narrow, involute ; coast plant. 



3. S. patens. 

 Spikes appressed ; leaves usually flat at the base ; western species. 



4. S. gracilis. 

 First scale smooth on the keel or occasionally slightly scabrous. 5. S. stricta. 



1. Spartina cynosuroides (L.) Willd. Tall Marsh-grass (I. F. f. 401.) 

 Culms 6-18 dm., tall, erect, simple, smooth. Leaves 3 dm. long or more, 6-14 

 mm. wide, scabrous on the margins, becoming involute in drying, attenuate into a 

 long slender tip; spikes 5-30, 5-12.5 cm. long, often on peduncles 1.25-2.5 cm. in 

 length, ascending or erect; rachis rough on the margins; spikelets much imbricated, 

 1. 2-1. 4 cm. long; outer scales awn-pointed or awned, strongly hispid-scabrous on 

 the keel; third scale as long as the first, the scabrous midrib terminating just below 

 the emarginate or 2-toothed apex; palet sometimes exceeding the scale. In swamps 

 and streams of fresh or brackish water, N. S. to Assiniboia, IS T . J. and Tex. Some- 

 times glaucous. Called also Fresh-water Cord-grass. Aug.-Oct. 



2. Spartina polystachya (Michx.) Ell. Salt Reed-grass. (I. F. f. 402.) 

 Culms 1-3 m. tall, erect, stout, simple, smooth. Leaves 3 dm. long or more, I.25- 

 2.5 cm. wide, flat, scabrous at least on the margins, attenuate into a long slender 

 tip; spikes 20-50, ascending, often long-peduncled, 5-10 cm. in length, the rachis 

 rough on the margins; spikelets much imbricated, 8-10 mm. long, the outer scales 

 acute, strongly scabrous-hispid on the keel, the first half the length of the second; 

 third scale scabrous on the upper part of the keel, obtuse, longer than the first and 

 exceeded by the palet. In salt and brackish marshes, Me. to N.J. and Fla. Called 

 also creek-thatch. Aug.-Oct. 



3. Spaitina patens (Ait.) Muhl. Salt-meadow grass. (I. F. f. 403.) 

 Culms 3-9 dm. tall, erect, or decumbent at base, smooth. Leaves 1.5-3 dm. long, 

 2-4 mm broad, involute, attenuate into a long tip, smooth and glabrous beneath; 

 spikes 2-10, 2.5-5 cm - l° n g> usually ascending, more or less peduncled, the rachis 

 slightly scabrous; spikelets 6-8 mm. long; outer scales acute, scabrous-hispid on 

 the keel, the first usually rather less than one-half as long as the second; third 

 scale somewhat scabrous on the upper part of the keel, emarginate or 2-toothed at 

 the apex, longer than the first and exceeded by the palet. On salt meadows, Newf. 

 and N. S. to Fla., west to Tex. This and Juncus Gerardi, the " Black-grass," fur- 

 nish most of the salt-meadow hay of the Atlantic Coast. Aug.-Oct. 



4. Spartina gracilis Trin. Inland CoRD-GRASS. (1. F. f. 404.) Culms 

 t, dm. tall, erect, simple, smooth. Sheaths overlapping, those at the base of the 

 culm short and crowded; leaves 3 dm. long or less, 2-6 mm. wide, flat or involute, 

 attenuate into a long tip; spikes 48, J.5-5 cm. long, appressed, more or less pe- 



