MANUAL OF THE GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 179 



nate; lemmas compressed, sometimes conspicuously flattened, chartaceous, 

 many-nerved, the nerves sometimes obscure, acute or acuminate, the empty 

 ones at the base and the uppermost usually reduced; palea rigid, strongly 

 keeled, bowed out at base, weakly so in Uniola paniculata; stamen 1. Rather 

 tall, erect perennials, with flat or sometimes convolute blades and narrow or 

 open panicles of compressed, sometimes very broad and flat spikelets. Type 

 species, Uniola paniculata. Ancient Latin name of a plant. 



The inland species are not abundant enough to be of value for forage. 

 Uniola latifolia is worthy of cultivation as an ornamental ; U. paniculata is a 

 sand binder along the southern seacoast; the seeds of U. pabneri Vasey of 

 Mexico are used for food by the Cocopa Indians. 



Rhizomes extensively creeping; blades firm, flat at base, tapering into a long flexuous in- 

 volute point; empty lemmas about 4; coastal dunes 1. U. PANICULATA. 



Rhizomes wanting or short and knotty; blades thin, flat; empty lemma 1 (2 or 3 in U. 

 ornithorhyncha) ; rich or moist woods. 

 Spikelets 8- to 12-flowered on slender pedicels; panicle nodding or drooping. 



2. U. LATIFOLIA. 



Spikelets 3- to 7-flowered, nearly sessile; panicle erect, nearly simple, the branches stiff. 



Spikelets more than 10 mm. (usually more than 12 mm.) wide, with 5 to 7 fertile florets. 



Sterile lemma 1; panicle 10 to 15 cm. long, the lower branches with 2 to 5 rather 



distant spikelets 3. U. nitida. 



Sterile lemmas 2 or 3; panicle 3 to 8 cm. long, the branches very short with approxi- 

 mate spikelets 4. U. ornithorhyncha. 



Spikelets rarely as much as 8 mm. wide at maturity, V-shaped, with 1 to 4 fertile florets 

 (rarely more), and 1 sterile lemma. 

 Collar of sheath pubescent, the sheaths commonly loosely long-pubescent, rarely 



glabrous 5. U. sessiliflora. 



Collar and sheaths glabrous or nearly so 6. U. laxa. 



1. Uniola paniculata L. Sea oats. 

 (Fig. 241.) Culms stout, about 1 m. 



tall, from extensively creeping rhi- s v jm~ 



zomes; blades flat, firm, elongate, 



Figure 240. — Distichlis texana. Panicle, X 1 ; lemma 

 and palea, X 5. (Nealley, Tex.) 



Figure 241. — Uniola paniculata. Plant, X 

 spikelets, X 1. (Kearney 2134, Va.) 



1/10; 



