GRAMINEAE. 1 33 



I. Koeleria cristata (L.) Pers. Koeleria. (I. F. f. 444.) Culm? 3-7.5 

 dm. tall, often pubescent just below the panicle. Leaves 2.5-30 cm. long, 1-3 mm. 

 wide, erect, flat or involute, smooth or rough, often more or less hirsute; panicle 

 2.5 17.5 cm. in length, pale green, usually contracted or spike-like, the branches 

 erect or rarely ascending, 2.5 cm. long or less; spikelets 2-5 -flowered, 4-6 mm. 

 Jong, the scales rough, acute, the empty ones unequal; flowering scales 3-4 mm. 

 Jong, shining. In dry sandy soil, especially on prairies. Out. to Br. Col., south to 

 Penn., Neb., Tex. and Cal. Also in Europe and Asia. Very variable. July- 

 Sept. 



78. CATABROSA Beauv. 



A perennial grass, with soft flat leaves and an open panicle. Spikelets usually 

 2 -flowered. Two lower scales empty, thin-membranous, much shorter than the 

 lowering ones, unequal, rounded or obtuse at the apex ; flowering scales membran- 

 ous, erose-truncate. Palet barely shorter than the scale. Stamens 3. Styles dis- 

 tinct. Stigmas plumose. [Greek, in allusion to the erose top of the flowering 

 scales.] A monotypic genus of arctic and mountainous regions of the northern hem- 

 isphere. 



1. Catabrosa aquatica(L.) Beauv. Water Whorl-grass. (I. F. f. 445.) 

 Smooth and glabrous. Culms 1-6 dm. tall, erect, from a creeping base, brigkt 

 green, flaccid; sheaths usually overlapping, loose; leaves 3. 75-12. 5 cm. long, 

 2-6 mm. wide, flat, obtuse; panicle 2.5-20 cm. in length, open, the branches 

 whorled, spreading or ascending, very slender, 1.25-5 cm - long ; spikelets 2.5-3.5 

 mm. long, the empty scales rounded or obtuse, the first about half as long as the 

 second, which is crenulate on the margins ; flowering scales 2-2.5 mm. long, 

 3 -nerved, erose-truncate at the apex. In water or wet soil. Lab. and Quebec to 

 Alaska, south to Neb., Colo, and Utah. Also in Europe and Asia. Summer. 



79. MELICA L. 



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

 Spikelets 1 -several-flowered, often secund, the rachilla extended beyond the flow- 

 ers and usually bearing 2-3 empty club-shaped or hooded scales, convolute around 

 each other. Two lower scales empty, membranous, 3-5 -nerved; flowering scales 

 larger, rounded on the back, 7-13 -nerved, sometimes bearing an awn, the margins 

 more or less scarious; palets broad, shorter than the scales, two-keeled. Stamens 

 three. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scale and 

 palet. [Name used by Theophrastus for sorghum; said to be in allusion to the 

 sweet culms of some species.] About 30 species, inhabiting temperate regions. 

 Besides the following, some 15 others occur in the Rocky Mts. and on the Pacific 

 Coast. • 



Second scale much shorter than the 3-5-flowered spikelet. 



Spikelets few ; branches of the panicle spreading or ascending. 1. M. diffusa. 



Spikelets usually numerous ; branches of the panicle erecc. 2. M. parviflora. 



Second scale nearly equalling the 2-flo\vered spikelet. 3. M. mutica. 



1. Melica diffusa Pursh. Tall Melicgrass. (I. F. f. 446.) Culms 4.5- 

 12 dm. tall. Leaves 1-2 dm. long, 4-8 mm. wide, rough; panicle I.5-2 dm. in 

 length, open, the branches spreading or ascending, the lower 3.75—7.5 cm. long; 

 spikelets usually numerous, about 3-flowered. 9-1 1 mm. long, nodding, on slender, 

 more or less flexuous. pubescent pedicels; empty basal scales very broad, obtuse or 

 acutish. the second generally much exceeded by the spikelet; flowering scales 7-9 

 mm. long, acute or obtuse, scabrous. Penn. to Minn., south to Va., Ky. and Tex. 

 May -June. 



2. Melica parviflora (Porter) Scribn. Small Melic-grass. (I. F. f. 447.) 

 Culms 4.5-7.5 dm. tall. Sheaths more or less rough; leaves 1.25-2.25 dm. long, 

 2-4 mm. wide, rough; panicle 1. 25-1. 75 dm. in length, contracted, the branches 

 erect, the lower 2.5-5 cm. long; spikelets few. 4-5-flowered, 1-1.3 cm. long, nod- 

 ding, on somewhat flexuous strongly pubescent pedicels; lower scales obtuse or 

 acutish, the second much exceeded by the spikelet; flowering scales 7-8 mm. long, 

 acutish, scabrous. Prairie-. Kans. and Colo, to Ariz, and Tex. 



3. Melica mutica Walt. Nabkow Melic-grass. (1. F. f. 448.) Culms 



