418 



GRAMINE^E. 



Phleum. 



4. PHLEUM. Linn.; Endl.gett.-750. CAT-TAIL grass. 



[An ancient Greek name, originally applied, it is thought, to Typha."| 



Glumes much longer than the paleas, distinct, equal, boat- shaped, beaked or mucronate. 

 Paleae awnless, truncate. — Panicle spiked, dense, cylindrical. 



1. Phleum pratense, Linn. Timothy. Herd 's- grass. 



Spike cylindrical ; glumes mucronate-awned, ciliate on the keel, longer than the awn. — 

 Linn. sp. 1. p. 59 ; Engl. hot. t. 1076 ; Pnrsh. fl. 1. p. 65 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 1 10 ; Muhl. 

 gram. p. 82 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 98 ; Trin. diss. 1. p. 149 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 59 ; Kunth, 

 enum. 1. p. 29. 



Root perennial, fibrous or sometimes tuberous. Culm 2-3 feet high, smooth. Leaves flat, 

 3-4 lines wide, smooth and glaucous : ligule ovate. Spike 3-6 inches long, green. Glumes 

 3-nerved, fringed with white hairs on the keel. Pales concealed in the base of the glumes ; 

 the lower one larger, 5-nerved. Stamens 3 : anthers purple. Caryopsis oblong, compressed. 



Fields and pastures. Fl. June - August. Introduced from Europe. This is a well known 

 and most valuable grass, and makes the best kind of hay. 



5. PHALARIS. Linn. ; Endl. gen. 753. CANARY GRASS. 



[ From the Greek, phalos, shining ; the coriaceous palcaj heing smooth and polished.] 



Spikelets 3-flowered ; the two inferior flowers scale-like and minute ; upper flower perfect. 

 Glumes 2, nearly equal, membranaceous, gibbous on the back, keeled, awnless. Paleae 

 2, finally coriaceous, shorter than the glumes, awnless ; the upper one surrounded by the 

 lower. Caryopsis oblong, lenticular, closely covered with the smooth coriaceous paleae. — 

 Panicles dense and spike-like. 



1. Phalaris arundinacea, Linn. Reed Canary Grass. 



Panicle ovoid, a little spreading when old ; glumes boat-shaped, obtusely keeled ; abortive 

 flowers resembling 2 small exterior glumes, hairy. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 55 ; Michx. fl. 1 . p. 43 ; 

 Pursh, fl. 1. p. 65 ; Muhl. gram. p. 89 ; Trin. gram. Pan. p. 256 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. 

 p. 63; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 33. P. Americana, Torr. fl. 1. p. 100; Beck, hot. p. 392, not 

 of Ell. Calamagrostis colorata, Nutt. gen. 1. p. 46. 



Perennial. Culm 2-4 feet high, erect, smooth. Leaves 3-4 lines wide, smooth, with a 

 rough margin. Ligule ovate. Neuter flowers resembling exterior glumes, linear, villous. 

 Panicle 2-4 inches long. Glumes compressed towards the tip, 3-nerved ; lower one fringed 

 on the margin below the middle ; upper one smooth. Paleae a little shorter than the glumes, 

 clothed with appressed hairs ; the inferior ovate, superior lanceolate. Stamens 3 : anthers 

 linear, yellow. Scales ovate, entire. Caryopsis oblong, black. 



Swamps and wet borders of streams : frequent. Fl. July. A native also of Europe. The 

 Ribbon-grass of the gardens is a variety of this species. 



