8. S. heterólepis, Gray. Leaves involute-thread-form, rigid, the lowest as long as the culm (1–2°) which is naked above; panicle very loose; empty glumes very unequal; the lower awl-shaped (or bristle-pointed from a broad base) and somewhat shorter, the upper ovate-oblong and taper-pointed and longer, than the equal flowering glume and palet.—Dry soil, Conn. and N. Y. to Minn., Neb., and Mo. Aug.—Plant exhaling an unpleasant scent (Sullivant), stouter than the last, the spikelets thrice larger. Utricle 1´´ in diameter, shining, thick and coriaceous!
9. S. cryptándrus, Gray. (Pl. 7, fig. 1–3.) Culm 2–3° high; leaves flat, pale (2´´ wide); the pyramidal lead-colored panicle bursting from the upper sheath which usually encloses its base, its spreading branches hairy in the axils; spikelets 1´´ long; upper empty glume lanceolate, rather acute, twice the length of the lower one, as long as the nearly equal flowering glume and palet; sheaths strongly bearded at the throat.—Sandy shores, coast of New Eng. and of the Great Lakes, Minn. to Kan., and westward. Aug., Sept.
10. S. airoìdes, Torr. Culm tufted, often stout, erect, ½–3° high; leaves strongly revolute and attenuate, rather rigid; panicle open and diffuse, broadly pyramidal, glabrous; spikelets solitary on slender pedicels, 1´´ long; lower glumes unequal, rather obtuse.—Neb. to Tex., and westward.
S. asperifòlus, Thurb., a similar but smaller species, with thinner and shorter leaves very rough on the margin, the inflorescence scabrous, and spikelets smaller, with the glumes nearly equal, is very common westward, and probably occurs within our limits—as also S. confùsus, Vasey (S. ramulosus of authors, not Kunth), a low slender annual, with very short culms and a delicate diffuse panicle, the very small spikelets (½´´ long) on filiform-clavate pedicels.
[*][*][*] Empty glumes almost equal; panicle racemose-elongated, open, the pedicels capillary; sheaths naked at the throat; spikelets not unfrequently two-flowered; perennial.
11. S. compréssus, Kunth. Very smooth, leafy to the top; culms tufted, stout, very flat; sheaths flattened, much longer than the internodes; leaves erect, narrow, conduplicate-channelled; empty glumes acutish, about one third shorter than the obtuse flowering one.—Bogs, on Long Island and in the pine-barrens of N. J. Sept.—Forming strong tussocks, 1–2° high. Panicle 8–12´ long; spikelets 1´´ long, purplish.
12. S. serótinus, Gray. Smooth; culms very slender, flattish (8–15´ high), few-leaved; leaves very slender, channelled; panicle soon much exserted, the diffuse capillary branches scattered; glumes ovate, obtuse, about half the length of the flower.—Sandy wet places, Maine to N. J. and Mich. Sept.— A very delicate grass; the spikelets half a line long.
29. AGRÓSTIS, L. Bent-Grass. ([Pl. 7.])
Spikelets 1-flowered, in an open panicle. Empty glumes somewhat equal, or the lower rather longer, usually longer than the flowering one, pointless. Flowering glume and palet very thin, pointless, naked; the first 3–5-nerved, frequently awned on the back; the palet often minute or none. Stamens chiefly 3. Grain (caryopsis) free.—Culms usually tufted, slender; root commonly perennial. (Name from ἀγρός, a field, the place of growth.)
§ 1. AGROSTIS proper. Palet manifest, but shorter than the glume.