HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



45b. Glumes much longer than the lemma, tapering to awn tips. Fig. 

 228. 



Muhlenbergia glomerata (Willd.) Trin. 



Perennial; culms in tufts, 30 — 90 cm. tall, 

 with slender creeping rhizomes; panicles 

 dense, cylindrical, and somewhat lobed, often 

 purplish in color, 3 — 10 cm. long; anthers 1 — 

 1.5 mm. long. Moist or rocky ground. July 

 — October. 



Muhlenbergia lacemosa (Michx.) B.S.P. is 

 similar, but has small anthers less than 1 mm. 

 long. Prairies, wet or rocky ground, Manitoba 

 and Indiana to Alberta and Washington. 



Figure 228 



46a. Culms much-branched, with numerous small panicles in the axils 

 of the leaf sheaths; stems smooth and shining. Fig. 229. 



Muhlenbergia irondosa (Poir.) Fern. 



Perennial; rhizomes present; culms becom- 

 ing elongated, 40 — 100 cm. or more long, the 

 plants becoming bushy and much-branched, 

 frequently scrambling through bushes or other 

 vegetation or sprawling; panicles at the tips 

 of the culms and protruding from nearly every 

 leaf sheath, up to 10 cm. long, rather dense; 

 leaf blades flat, scabrous, 3 — 7 mm. wide; 

 glumes 2 — 4 mm. long, tapering gradually 

 from base to an owned tip; lemmas 2 — 3 

 mm. long, awnless or owned. This is a very 

 common species in thickets and woods and 

 on roadsides and stream banks. August — 

 October. 

 Muhlenbergia sobolifera (Muhl.) Trin. is somewhat similar, but the 

 glumes curve abruptly to awn tips from a point above the middle. The 

 culms are erect and sparingly branched. Lemmas awnless. Dry 

 woods. New Hampshire to Virginia, westward to Nebraska and Texas. 

 July — October. 



Figure 229 



122 



