Uralepis. 



GRAMlNEiE. 



455 



1. Uralepis aristulata, Nutt. Short-aivned Uralepis. 



Lateral panicles concealed in the sheaths of the leaves, terminal one more or less exserted ; 



spikelets 3-flowered ; awn as long as the lateral cusps. — Nutt. gen. I. c. and suppl. ; Thrr. 

 fl. 1. p. 117 ; Spreng. neue entd. 1. p. 245 ; Beck, hot. p. 404 ; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 318. 



Aira purpurea, Muhl. gram. p. 86, not of Walt. Diplocea barbata, Raf. in Sill', jour. 1. 

 p. 252. 



Culms numerous, from one root, about a foot high, with numerous bearded joints. Leaves 

 short, subulate and somewhat pungent, mostly shorter than the joints, hairy above. Ligule a 

 bearded ring. Upper panicle, when exserted, spreading : lateral ones entirely concealed in 

 the sheaths of the leaves. Spikelets mostly 3- (rarely 4-) flowered. Glumes often lacerate 

 at the tip. Paleas densely fringed ; the lower one with 2 cusps, and a very short intermediate 

 awn. Stamens 3 : anthers purple. 



Seacoast of Long Island and Staten Island ; also along the shores of the Hudson, within 

 the reach of salt water. Fl. August - September. The whole plant is covered with a viscid 

 acid secretion, which is perhaps bimalate of lime. I am suspicious that this species is hardly 

 distinct from U. purpurea, Nutt. 



Tribe IX. FESTUCA CEjE. Kunth. 



Spikelets many- {rarely few-) flowered. Glumes and palea 2, membranaceo-herbaceous, 

 rarely coriaceous. Lower palea mostly awned ; the awn not twisted. Inflorescence 

 (with few exceptions) paniculate. 



33. POA. Linn. ; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 324. meadow-grass, 



[Poa is the Greek name for grass or pasturage.! 



Spikes 2 - many-flowered ; the spikelets distichous. Glumes 2, pointless, shorter than the 

 flowers. Palese membranaceous, awnless ; the lower one keeled, rarely concave and some- 

 what coriaceous : upper one bicarinate. Stigmas simply plumose. Caryopsis free. — Leaves 

 mostly flat. Spikelets pedicellate, in diffuse or contracted panicles. Flowers sometimes 

 dioecious. 



* Poa proper. Spikelets paniculate, 2 - 5-jlowered, rather remote, mostly with a cobweb-like pubescence at the base : Imcer 

 palea herbaceous, diaphanous on the margin, mostly 5- (rarely 1 - 7-) nerved. 



1. Poa annua, Linn. Annual Meadow-grass. 



Panicle somewhat secund, divaricate ; spikelets ovate-oblong, 4 - 5-flowered ; the flowers 

 free ; culm oblique, somewhat compressed ; root fibrous. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 68 ; Ell. sk. 1. 

 p. 158 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 79 ; Muhl. gram. p. 137 ; Torr. ft. 1. p. 107 ; Beck, bot. p. 409 ; 

 Darling t. fl. Cest. p. 76 ; Kunth, enum. 1. p. 349. 



