2. T. palústre, Torr. Smooth; panicle rather long and narrow (5´ long), loose, the branches capillary; spikelets flat (3´´ long); lower glumes shorter than the two smooth lanceolate flowers; the upper flower on a slightly hairy joint of the rhachis, with a slender spreading or bent awn next the short 2-pointed tip, the lower commonly awnless or only mucronate-pointed.—Low grounds, southern N. Y. to Ill., and southward. June.—Culm slender, 2–3° high; leases flat, short; spikelets yellowish-white, tinged with green.
40. AVÈNA, Tourn. Oat. ([Pl. 12.])
Spikelets 2–many-flowered, panicled; the flowers herbaceo-chartaceous, or becoming harder, of firmer texture than the large and mostly unequal empty glumes; the uppermost flower imperfect; rhachis and base of the flower often bearded. Flowering glume rounded on the back, mostly 5–11-nerved, bearing a long usually bent or twisted awn on the back or between the two acute teeth at the apex, proceeding from the mid-nerve only. Stamens 3. Grain oblong-linear, grooved on one side, usually hairy at least at the top, free, but invested by the palet. (The classical Latin name.)
[*] Spikelets large (1´ long); annual.
A. Fátua, L. Resembling the common oat (A. sativa), the few spikelets in a loose panicle, mostly pendulous; flowering glumes covered with long brownish hairs and bearing a bent awn 1–2´ long.—Wisc., Minn. (Nat. from Eu.)
[*][*] Smaller-flowered perennials.
1. A. striàta, Michx. ([Pl. 12], fig. 1, 2.) Glabrous and smooth throughout, slender (1–2° high); leaves narrow; ligule short, truncate; panicle simple, loose; spikelets (6´´ long) on capillary pedicels, 3–6-flowered, much exceeding the scarious-margined purple acute empty glumes; lower glume 1-, upper 3-nerved; rhachis smooth; flowers short-bearded at base; flowering glume 7-nerved, much longer than the ciliate-fringed palet (4´´ long), mostly shorter than its soon bent or divergent awn, which rises just below the tapering very sharply cuspidate 2-cleft tip.—Rocky, shaded hills, N. New Eng., N. Y., and northwestward. June.
2. A. Smíthii, Porter. Taller (2½–4½° high), rather stout; leaves broadly linear (3–6´´ wide) and taper-pointed, flat, and with the sheaths and culm retrorsely scabrous; ligule elongated, acute; panicle larger (6–12´ long), the few branches at length spreading; empty glumes slightly purplish, the lower 3-nerved, the upper 5-nerved, scabrous on the nerves; rhachis minutely hispid; flowers (3–5) naked at base; awn straight, {1/3}–½ the length of the 7-nerved glume.—N. Mich. and Isle Royale, L. Superior. April, May.
41. DANTHÒNIA, DC. Wild Oat-Grass. ([Pl. 12.])
Flowering glume (oblong or ovate, rounded-cylindraceous, 7–9-nerved) bearing between the sharp-pointed or awn-like teeth of the tip an awn usually composed of the 3 middle nerves, which is flattish and spirally twisting at base; otherwise nearly as in Avena. Empty glumes longer than the imbricated flowers. Ours perennials, 1–2° high, with narrow and soon involute leaves, hairy sheaths bearded at the throat, and a small simple panicle or raceme of about 7-flowered spikelets. (Named for Danthoine, a French botanist.)