HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



38a. Pedicels of lateral spikelets 3 — many times as long as the spike- 

 lets; panicle large, diffuse, 2/3 or more of the total height of 

 the plant; plants erect. Fig. 72. 



LACEGRASS 



Eragrostis capillaris (L.) Nees 



Lacegrass is a densely tufted annual, 

 up to 50 cm. in height. Culms much 

 branched at the base, the plants bear- 

 ing numerous panicles; leaf sheaths 

 somewhat hairy, especially at the 

 throat; blades flat, hairy on the upper 

 surface, 1 — 3 mm. wide; panicles open- 

 cylindrical or elHptical, making up most 

 of the height of the plants. Spikelets 

 2 — 3 mm. long, with 2 — 4 florets; glumes 

 about 1 mm. long; lemmas about 1.5 

 mm. long. The minute grains are about 

 0.5 mm. long. Lacegrass is a common 

 weed of open, dry situations on waste 

 ground, in fields, and thin woods. 

 August — September. 



Figure 72 



38b. Pedicels oi lateral spikelets short, rarely more than twice the 

 length of the spikelets; panicles about half the length of the 

 sprawling plants. Fig. 73. 



Eragrostis frankii C. A. Mey. 



Annual. A weed of river banks and 

 wet alluvial bottoms, E. frankii makes 

 sprawling bushy tufts. The culms are 

 seldom more than 25 cm. long. Leaf 

 sheaths and blades usually smooth ex- 

 cept at the throat. The ellipsoidal pani- 

 cle is much denser than that of E. capil- 

 laris, because of the shorter pedicels. 

 August — September. 



Figure 73 



40 



