HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



23a. Staminate and pistillate spikelets on separate plants; anthers 

 about 1.5 — 2 mm. long; panicle dense. Fig. 60. 



Eragrosfis reptans (Michx.) Nees 



Annual; stoloniferous; only a 

 few cm. tall, forming delicate, 

 bright green turf along streams 

 and on wet ground. Spikelets 

 borne in dense panicles, resem- 

 bling clover heads. Lemmas very 

 strongly keeled. While the two 

 sexes are similar in appearance, 

 they can be told apart by the 

 presence of anthers or stigmas pro- 

 truding from the florets. Late sum- 

 Figure 60 mer and fall. Forage value low. 



23b. Spikelets all with perfect flowers; anthers minute, about 0.2 mm. 

 long. Fig. 61. 



Eragrosfis hypnoides (Lam.) B. S. P. 



Annual; stoloniferous, forming 

 low mats. The panicle is usually 

 open. Lemmas very strongly 

 keeled. The anthers are minute 

 and nearly round, with a bulk of 

 less than 1/50 that of those of E. 

 reptans. Like most of its relatives, 

 this plant is a warm weather 

 grass, growing rapidly from mid- 

 summer on. Stream banks and 

 wet ground. Forage value low. 

 July — September. 



Figure 61 '' 



24a. Lemmas when mature dropping from the persistent rachilla of the 

 spikelet; (this can be detected by pulling lemmas outward and 

 downward) paleas usually remaining on the rachilla 36 



24b. Lemmas not falling separately; spikelets disarticulating between 

 the florets when mature 25 



33 



