636 GRAMINE^E. ('GRASS FAMILY.) 



tile with 3 stamens; culm and panicle elongated (4° -8° high). — Sand-hills 

 on the sea-shore, S. Virginia and southward. 



2. U. Iatif61ia, Michx. Leaves broad and flat (nearly l r Avide) ; spikdeis 

 at length oblong, hanging on long pedicels ; flowers acute, ciliatc on the keel, all 

 but the lowest perfect and monandrous. — Shaded rich hillsides, S. Pennsylvania 

 to Illinois and southward. Aug. — Culm 2° - 4° high : panicle loose. 



* * Spikelets small : panicle contracted and wand-like : perfect flowers long-pointed. 



3. IT. gracilis, Michx. Spikelets short-pedicel led (2'' -3" long), broadly 

 wedge-shaped, acute at the base, 4 - 8-fowered ; the flowers ovate and diver- 

 gently beaked, long, the lowest one neutral. — Sandy soil, from Long Island to 

 Virginia, near the coast, and southward. Aug. — Culm 3° high, slender. 



40. PHRAGMITES, Trim Reed. (PI. 11.) 



Spikelets 3 - 7-flowered ; the flowers rather distant, silky- villous at their base, 

 and with a conspicuous silky-bearded rhachis, all perfect and 3-androus, except 

 the lowest, which is either neutral or with 1 -3 stamens, and naked. Glumes 

 membranaceous, shorter than the flowers, lanceolate, keeled, sharp-pointed, very 

 unequal. Palets membranaceous, slender; the lower narrowly awl-shaped, 

 thrice the length of the upper. Squamulse 2, large. Styles long. Grain free. 

 — Tall and stout perennials, with numerous broad leaves, and a large terminal 

 panicle, ((ppayfj-ires, growing in hedges, which this aquatic Grass does not.) 



1. P. communis, Trin. Panicle loose, nodding; spikelets 3-5-flow- 

 ered ; flowers equalling the wool. (Arundo, L.) — Edges of ponds. Sept. — 

 Looks like Broom-Corn at a distance, 5° - 12° high : leaves 2' wide. (Eu.) 



41. AKUNDINARIA, Michx. Cane. (PI. 11.) 



Spikelets flattened, 5 - 1 4-flowered ; the flowers somewhat separated on the 

 jointed rhachis. Glumes very small, membranaceous, the upper one larger. 

 Palets herbaceous or somewhat membranaceous ; the lower convex on the back, 

 many-nerved, tapering into a mucronate point or bristle. Squamulse 3, longer 

 than the ovary. Stamens 3. Grain oblong, free. — Arborescent or shrubby 

 Grasses, simple or with fascicled branches, and with large spikelets in panicles 

 or racemes ; the, flowers polygamous. ( Name. from arundo, a reed.) 



1. A. macrosperma, Michx. (Large Cane.) Culms arborescent, 

 13° -20° high, rigid, simple the .first year, branching the second, afterwards at 

 indefinite periods fruiting, and soon after decaying; .leaves lanceolate (l'-2' 

 wide), smoothish; panicle lateral, composed of few simple raceme's ; spikelets 

 purple, erect; lower palet lance-ovate, pubescent, fringed (Belong). Chapman, 

 under A. gigantea. — River-banks, S. Virginia? Kentucky? and southward, 

 forming canebrakes. 



2. A. tecta, Muhl. (Small Cane.) Culms slender, 2°- 10° high, branch- 

 ing ; leaves linear-lanceolate (9"- 1' wide), roughish, the sheaths bearded at the 

 throat ; spikelets solitary or in a simple raceme at the summit of the branches, 

 or frequently on leafless radical culms; lower palet (6" long) ovate-lanceolate, 

 smooth, fringed on the margins. Chapman. (Arundo tecta, Walt.) — Swamps 

 and moist poib Virginia, Illinois, and southward. April. 



