HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



39a. Plants without glands on spikelets or branches; spikelets 2 mm. 

 or less wide 40 



39b. Plants bearing minute blister-like glands on the keels of the 

 glumes and lemmas and the branches oi the panicle; spikelets 

 2.5 — 3.5 mm. wide when mature. Fig. 74. 



STINEGRASS 



Figure 74 



Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Link 



Annual; tufted; culms erect or some- 

 what spreading; panicles ovoid or pyra- 

 midal, rather dense. The keels of the 

 glumes and lemmas bear tiny circular 

 glands. Stinkgrass is a vigorous weedy 

 annual, with a strong, musty odor when 

 fresh. It may be poisonous to horses 

 if eaten in large quantities. Frequent 

 in fields, gardens, and dry, disturbed 

 soil. Introduced from Europe and now 

 very common throughout the United 

 States. June — October. Also known as 

 E. megastachya. 



A very similar species, E. poaeoides 

 Beauv., has spikelets with glands on 

 the keels of the lemmas also. The 

 spikelets range from 1.3 — 2.0 mm. wide. 

 It is less common than stinkgrass. In- 

 troduced from Europe. 



40a. Sheaths bearing a few long hairs on the margins at their sum- 

 mits; paleas remaining on the rachilla 41 



41 



