HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



25b. Spikelets 2 — 2.4 mm. long. Fig. 307. 



Paspaluzn pubescens Muhl. 



Perennial; tuited; plants 40 — 90 cm. tall, 

 hairy; inflorescence consisting of 1 — 3 

 racemes, each 4 — 17 cm. long; first glume 

 absent. Old fields, meadows, waste 

 groimd, open woods, especially on sandy 

 land. June — September. This is one of 

 the commonest species, and extremely vari- 

 able. There are about four closely related 

 species found in parts of its range. 



Figure 307 



26a. Spikelets not fringed with long hairs 



27 



26b. Spikelets fringed with long silky hairs, borne on the edges of the 

 second glume. Fig. 308. 



DALLIS GRASS Paspalum dilatatum Poir 



Figure 308 



hispid lower sheaths, 

 fomia. 



Perennial; tufted; plants 50 — 150 cm. tall; 

 inflorescence of 3 — 5 racemes, each 6 — 8 cm. 

 long; first glume absent. The spikelets are 

 more pointed than those of most other species. 

 Dallis grass is a -valuable pasture grass in the 

 southeastern states and under irrigation in 

 the Southwest. The spikelets may become 

 infected by an ergot fungus and hence be- 

 come poisonous to cattle. Cultivated mead- 

 ows and pastures and commonly escaped to 

 the wild. May — September. Native to South 

 America. 



Paspalum urvillei Steud. (VASEY GRASS) 



is similar but has 12 — 20 racemes and strongly 



Virginia to Florida, Arkansas and Texas; CaH- 



181 



