HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



25a. Pqleas without long iringing hairs, 



26 



25b. Poleas fringed with long straight hairs which nearly cover the 

 spikelets. Fig. 62. 



- A. 



Eragrostis ciliaris (L.) R. Br. 



This delicate tufted annual grass grows 

 15 — 30 cm. tall, and bears dense cylindrical 

 panicles, like those of the foxtail grasses, 3 — 

 10 cm. long. The tiny spikelets, only 2 — 4 

 mm. long, are immediately identifiable by the 

 long, fringe-like cilia borne on the margins of 

 the palea, which give a sort of spider-web 

 appearance to the spikelets. River banks and 

 open ground. Widespread in warm regions 

 of the world. June — August. 



Figure 62 



26a. Spikelets 3 — 15 mm. long. 



27 



26b. Spikelets 2 — 3 mm. long; panicle elongated, dense, narrowly cylin- 

 drical. Fig. 63. 



Eragrostis glomerata (Walt.) Dewey 



Annual; tufted; plants a meter or less 

 in height. E. glomerata produces a pro- 

 fusion of slender, cylindrical panicles up 

 to 50 cm. long, with strongly ascending 

 branches. The plants flower from near 

 groimd level to the very tip. The tiny 

 spikelets have very thin, translucent lem- 

 mas. At maturity the grains are visible 

 through the lemmas. Banks of streams 

 and ditches, alluvial woods. July — No- 

 vember. 



Figure 63 



34 



