126 



FLORA. 



rachilla articulated between the flowering scales, long-pilose. Two lower scales 

 empty, unequal, membranous, lanceolate, acute, shorter than the spikelet; the third 

 scale empty or subtending a staminate flower; flowering scales glabrous, narrow, 

 long-acuminate, much exceeding the short palets. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, 

 short. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, loosely enclosed in the scale and palet. 

 [Greek, referring to its hedge-like growth along ditches.] Three known species, 

 the following of the north temperate zone, one in Asia, the third in S. Am. 



I. Phragmites Phragmites (L.) Karst. Reed. (I. F. f. 420.) Culms 

 1.5-5 m. tall, erect, stout, from long horizontal rootstocks, smooth and glabrous. 

 Sheaths overlapping, loose ; leaves 1. 5-3 dm. long or more, 8-50 mm. wide, flat, 

 smooth, glabrous; panicle 1.5-3 dm. long or more, ample; spikelets crowded on 

 the ascending branches ; first scale i-nerved, half to two-thirds as long as the 3- 

 nerved second one ; flowering scales 1-1.2 cm. long, 3-nerved, long-acuminate, 

 equalling the hairs of the rachilla. In swamps and wet places nearly throughout 

 the U. S., extending north to N. S., Manitoba and Br. Col. Also in Europe and 

 Asia. Rarely ripening seed. Aug. -Oct. [P. communis Trin.J 



68. SIEGLINGIA Bernh. 



A perennial tufted grass with flat leaves and a narrow simple panicle. Spike- 

 lets few, 3-5 -flowered, the rachilla internodes short. Scales 5-7, the lower 2 empty, 

 equalling or nearly as long as the spikelet, the flowering scales very firm, rounded 

 on the back, obscurely 9-nerved, the nerves more prominent at the shortly 3 -toothed 

 summit, pilose near the margins, the callus short and obtuse, pilose; palet 2-keeled, 

 ciliate on the keels. Stamens 3. Styles short, distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain 

 free, enclosed in the scale. [Named in honor of Prof. Siegling, German botanist.] 

 A monotypic genus of the Old World. 



I. Sieglingia decumbens (L.) Kuntze. Heather-grass. (I. F. f. 423.) 

 Culms I.5-4.5 dm. tall, erect, often decumbent at the base, simple, smooth and 

 glabrous. Sheaths villous at the summit; leaves smooth beneath, usually scabrous 

 above, 1-3 mm. wide, the basal 7.5-15 cm. long, those of the culm 2.5-7.5 cm. 

 long; panicle 2.5-5 cm. long, contracted, the branches 2.5 cm. long or less, erect; 

 spikelets 3-5-flowered, 6-10 mm. long, the joints of the rachilla. very short; lower 

 scales equalling the spikelet, acute ; flowering scales broadly oval, ciliate on the 

 margins below, obtusely 3-toothed, with two tufts of hair on the callus. Introduced 

 into Newf. Native of Europe and Asia. Summer. 



69. TRICUSPIS Beauv. 



Usually perennial grasses with flat or involute leaves and an open or contracted 

 sometimes spike-like panicle. Spikelets 3-many -flowered, the flowers perfect or 

 the upper ones staminate, the rachilla articulated above the empty scales and be- 

 tween the flowers. Scales 5— many, membranous, sometimes firmer, the lower 2 

 empty, keeled, obtuse to acuminate, usually shorter than the rest, sometimes 

 longer, the flowering scales 3-nerved, the midnerve or all the nerves excurrent, the 

 midnerve and the lateral nerves or the margins pilose, the apex shortly 2-toothed, 

 rarely entire, the teeth obtuse or acute, the callus shcrt and obtuse; palet shortei 

 than the scale, compressed, 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Styles short, distinct. Stig- 

 mas plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scale. [Named in reference to the teeth 

 of the flowering scale of most of the species.] Species about 30, natives chiefly o: 

 temperate regions. {Sieglingia Bernh. in part.) 



Panicle open, the branches long and more or less spreading, often drooping at the apex j 



1. T. seslertoides 

 Panicle contracted, the branches short and erect or appressed. 



Panicle spike-like, 1-3 dm. long; spikelets numerous; leaves long and flat. 

 Second empty scale 1 -nerved ; flowering scales 3.5-4 mm. long. 



2. T. stricta. 

 Second empty scale 3-5-nerved ; flowering scales 5-6 mm. long. 



3. T. elongata. 

 Panicle 1-3 cm. long, almost ra erne-like; spikelets few ; leaves thick, folded. 



4. T. pilosa. 



I. Tricuspis sesierioides (Michx.) Torr. Tail Red-top. (I. F. f. 42 Ml 

 Culms 6-15 dm. tall, erect, Bomewhat flattened, often viscid above. Sheaths some 



