HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



37b. Stouter plants of medium and low altitudes; longer leaf blades 

 8 — 10 cm. long; ligules 3 — 6 mm. long; panicles usually 1 — several 

 cm. wide. Fig. 221. 



SPIKE REDTOP Agrostis exarata Trin. 



Perennial; tufted; culms 20 — 120 cm. tall- 

 panicles spikelike, either thin or thicker and 

 somewhat lobed. Lemma sometimes owned. 

 This is one of the most important western 

 range grasses. It is palatable to both domes- 

 tic livestock and wild grazing animals. Usu- 

 ally on moist ground, in meadows, along 

 streams, and in open woodlands. July — 

 August. 



Figure 221 



38a. Panicles with long, slender main branches which branch again 

 only on the outer half. Fig. 222. 



TICKLEGRASS Agrostis scabra WUld. 



bSsi* 



wim 



Figure 222 



Perennial; culms slender, 20 — 80 cm. 

 tall; leaf blades threadlike, in dense 

 tufts at the base of the culms; panicles 

 delicate, readily breaking away from 

 the plants and blown by the wind as 

 tumbleweeds. Forage value fair. Tickle- 

 grass is a very widespread species, on 

 open ground or in partial shade, espe- 

 cially on moist soil. June — September. 



Agrostis kyemalis (Walt.) B. S. P. 

 is similar but has spikelets bunched at 

 the tips of the branches. It blooms 

 earlier, in May and early June. At- 

 lantic coastal plain and lower Mississip- 

 pi Valley. 



118 



