1. M. squarròsa, Torr. Glaucous, somewhat pubescent and villous at the nodes or glabrous; leaves 3–12´´ long.—Dry plains, central Kan. to Dak., west to Mont., Utah, and New Mex.
55. KŒLÈRIA, Pers. ([Pl. 10.])
Spikelets 3–7-flowered, crowded in a dense and narrow spike-like panicle. Glumes membranaceous, compressed-keeled, obscurely 3-nerved, barely acute, or the flowering glume often mucronate or bristle-pointed; the empty ones moderately unequal, nearly as long as the spikelet. Stamens 3. Grain free.—Tufted with simple upright culms, the sheaths often downy; allied to Dactylis and Poa. (Named for Prof. G. L. Koeler, an early writer on Grasses.)
1. K. cristàta, Pers. Culms 1–2° high; leaves flat, the lower sparingly hairy or ciliate; panicle narrowly spiked, interrupted or lobed at base; spikelets 2–4-flowered; flowering glume acute or mucronate.—Var. grácilis, Gray, with a long and narrow spike, the flowers usually barely acute.—Dry hills, Penn. to Ill. and Kan., thence north and westward. (Eu.)
56. EATÒNIA, Raf. ([Pl. 10.])
Spikelets usually 2-flowered, with an abortive rudiment or pedicel, numerous, in a contracted or slender panicle, very smooth. Empty glumes somewhat equal in length, but very dissimilar, a little shorter than the flowers; the lower narrowly linear, keeled, 1-nerved; the upper broadly obovate, folded round the flowers, 3-nerved on the back, not keeled, scarious-margined. Flowering glume oblong, obtuse, compressed-boat-shaped, naked, chartaceous; the palet very thin and hyaline. Stamens 3. Grain linear-oblong, not grooved.—Perennial, tall and slender grasses, with simple tufted culms, and often sparsely downy sheaths, flat lower leaves, and small greenish (rarely purplish) spikelets. (Named for Prof. Amos Eaton, author of a popular Manual of the Botany of the United States, which was for a long time the only general work available for students in this country, and of other popular treatises.)
[*] Upper empty glume rounded-obovate and very obtuse; panicle usually dense.
1. E. obtusàta, Gray. ([Pl. 10.]) Panicle dense and contracted, somewhat interrupted, rarely slender; the spikelets crowded on the short erect branches; upper glume rough on the back; flowers lance-oblong.—Dry soil, N. Penn. to Fla., Mich., and far westward. June, July.
[*][*] Glume narrower, sometimes acutish; panicle more loose and slender.
2. E. Pennsylvánica, Gray. Leaves mostly 3–6´ long; panicle long and slender, loose, the racemose branches lax and somewhat elongated; glumes thin and broadly scarious, the lowest half the length of the flower, very narrow, the upper obtuse or bluntly somewhat pointed; the 2 (rarely 3) flowers lanceolate, with pointed glumes.—Varies, with a fuller panicle, 6–8´ long, with the aspect of Cinna (var. màjor, Torr.); and, rarely, with the lower palet minutely mucronate-pointed!—Moist woods and meadows; common.