HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



lib. Lemmas hairy on the back as well as the edges; plants wide- 

 spread in the United States. Fig. 188. 



POVERTY OATGRASS Danthonia spicata (L.) Beauv. 



Figure 188 



Perennial; tufted; culms usually 20 — 50 

 cm. tall. Most of the short, curly leaves 

 are borne in a basal tuft. Their Ugules are 

 under 1 mm. long. Panicles short, 2 — 5 cm. 

 long, with ascending branches. Poverty 

 oats makes gray-green mats or sods on 

 dry, sterile soils in the open or in thin 

 woods. Forage value very low. Cleisto- 

 genes may be present, as in D. californica. 

 May — September. 



Danthonia compiessa Austin has pani- 

 cles with spreading branches. The ligules 

 of the lower leaves are 2 — 5 mm. long. 

 Open ground and in moist or dry woods, 

 mostly in the Appalachian Mountains; Que- 

 bec to Georgia. June — July. 



12a. One or both lemmas with awns; glumes similar in shape 13 



12b. Lemmas without awns; first glume linear; second glume obovate, 

 very broad. Fig. 189. 



WEDGEGRASS SphenophoJis obtusata (Michx.) Scribn. 



Perennial; tufted; culms 30 — 100 cm. 

 tall; panicles dense and cylindrical, the 

 branches spreading somewhat at flow- 

 ering time. The peculiarly shaped 

 glumes are the most characteristic thing 

 about the wedgegrasses. In this spe- 

 cies, the second glume is 2 — 2.5 times 

 longer than its folded width. Open 

 ground, thin woods, wet spots. Suc- 

 culent and probably good feed, but not 

 occurring in dense stands. May — 

 August. 



Sphenopholis intermedia Rydb. has a 



looser, more open panicle; the second 



glume is 3 — 4 times longer than the 



folded width. Throughout the United 



^'^"^'^ ^^^ States and southern Canada. May— July. 



Sphenopholis nitida (Biehler) Scribn. has a slender, open panicle. 



The upper lemma of each spikelet is visibly scabrous under a lens. 



Woods, eastern states to IlHnois and Texas. 



100 



