HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



50a. Plants forming sprawling, much-branched bushes from knotty 

 crowns. Fig. 234. 



BUSH MUHLY Muhlenbergia porteri Scribn. 



Perennial; the much-branched plants will 

 form bushy growth a meter in diameter and 

 height if ungrazed. Because of the very high 

 palatability of this species for grazing live- 

 stock, it is rarely seen except in the hearts of 

 spiny bushes. The plants are semi-evergreen, 

 the old culm bases producing new shoots in 

 the succeeding year. Dry plains and deserts. 

 July — September. 



Figure 234 



50b. Stems erect, usually unbranched. Fig. 235. 



RINGGRASS Muhlenbergia torieyi (Kunth) Hitch. 



Perennial; plants forming circular or ring- 

 shaped tufts, with numerous short, curly 

 leaves, mostly clustered at the base of the 

 plant. Ringgrass is a rather poor forage 

 grass. Its presence usually indicates that 

 better species have been killed out. Open 

 plains, 1300—3300 m. elevation. July- 

 August. 



Figure 235 



51a. Floret bearing a tuft of hairs on the callus; pani- 

 cles large and open. Fig. 236 . . genus CALAMO- 

 VILFA. see Fig. 216. 



51b. Floret without conspicuous hairs on the callus 

 (sometimes hairy on the nerves) 52 



125 



