HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



122a. Panicles short, ovoid, 2 — 8 cm. long; spikelets ovate in outline, 

 about twice as long as wide; glumes and lemmas keeled; nerves 

 of lemmas rather conspicuous 123 



122b. Panicles elongated, cylindrical, 10 — 15 cm. long; spikelets little 

 keeled, narrowly elliptical in outline, 3 or more times longer than 

 wide, the glumes and lemmas rounded on the back; nerves of 

 lemmas inconspicuous. Fig. 156. 



Poa nevadensis Vasey 



Perennial; tufted; culms erect, 50 — 100 cm. tall; 

 sheaths scabrous; panicle narrow, elongated, 

 10 — 15 cm. long. This is one of a group of very 

 similar bunchgrasses of the western mountain 

 states. All have slender, elongated spikelets, 

 whose lemmas are not keeled; lemmas glabrous 

 and with inconspicuous nerves. They furnish 

 excellent range forage for wild game animals 

 and domestic Uvestock. Plains, dry meadows; 

 open or partially wooded mountainsides, from 

 near sea level up to 3700 m. elevation. May — 

 September. 



Figure 156 



123a. Leaf blades scabrous; ligules of culm leaves less than 2 mm. long. 

 Fig. 157. 



Poa cusiclrii Vasey 



Perennial; culms in dense bunches, 20 — 60 

 cm. tall; basal leaf blades thread-like, very 

 scabrous, about half the length of the culms; 

 ligules usually under 1 mm. long; panicles 

 3 — 8 cm. long, dense, oblong, pale or some- 

 what purpHsh. Rocky slopes and sagebrush 

 plains, medium to high altitudes. May — July. 



Figure 157 



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