HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



19a. Lemma 8 — 12 mm. long; glumes 12 — 20 mm. long 20 



19b. Lemma 5 — 6 mm. long; glumes 5 — 10 mm. long 22 



20a. Lemma without a smooth whitish summit 21 



20b. Lemma with a smooth whitish ring at the summit. Fig. 205. 



TEXAS NEEDLEGRASS Stipa leucotricha Trin. & Rupr. 



Perennial; culms 30 — 60 cm. tall; leaf blades 

 10 — 30 cm. long, very narrow, rolled, rough 

 to the touch, dark green. The awn is 6 — 

 10 cm. long, with two bends. The lower 

 sheaths contain very peculiar hidden spike- 

 lets (cleistogamous), lacking glumes and with 

 a very short-awned lemma. This species be- 

 gins growth very early, in late winter and 

 early spring and is prized for winter feed. 

 The owned florets may injure sheep. Dry 

 plains. May — June. 



6 -i- 



I 



10 



Figure 205 



21a. Mature lemma chocolate brown or black 22 



21b. Mature lemma pale or brownish. Fig. 206. 



NEEDLE AND THREAD Stipa comata Trin. & Rupr. 



Perennial; culms in tufts, 30 — 60 cm. tall. 

 The panicle is a mass of curly awns, 10 — 

 15 cm. long. The base of the panicle is 

 usually partially hidden in the uppermost 

 sheath. Needle and thread is a valuable 

 forage grass in many parts of the West. 

 It is grazed especially in the spring and 

 fall, before the "needles" are formed and 

 after they fall. Prairies, plains, and dry 

 open mountain slopes. June — August. 



Figure 206 



110 



