26 



FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS. 



Many grasses with rapidly growing and l^ranching rootstocks as 

 the Ijeach grass i^Aiiiin()2>h!la arenar'ni) share with numerous sedges the 



important function of sand-l)ind- 

 ers; that is, they serve to hold 

 the drifting sands along the coast 

 51 nd prevent the soil from l)eing 

 carried away by wind and waves. 

 A number of species like the 

 vaiious pampas grasses of South 

 America, the ribbon-grass {Pha- 

 hir!x) the "Job's tears," {Coix 

 htchnjiiKi^ and others are highly 

 ornamental in cultivation, retain- 

 ing their beauty when dried and 

 cut. The use of several Andro- 

 pogons in the manufacture of 

 perfume has been mentioned; but 

 it should be remembered that our 

 own sweet vernal grass {^Anthox- 

 antliam odoratiim) when cut, 

 properly dried and , placed be- 

 tween thin papers will exhale a 

 delicate fragrance far superior to 

 that of any sachet powder. 



While enumerating the uses 

 of this family we must reluctantly 

 admit that it contains also some of 



Fig. 23.— Creeping Panic-grass (P««itv»H /•#;>(?«.<. the worst wecds knOWU tO farni- 

 (After Scribner, Bull. No. 7, Div. of Agrost., U. S. rm i , m • , • 



Dept. of Agric.) 6rs. ihc couch grass (^Iriticiim 



rejoenn) the crab grass {Synth erii^- 

 ma sanguinalis) and several others are extremely difhcult to eradicate 

 when they have once taken possession of the ground. Among the 

 largest genera of the Graminea^ may lie mentioned AndTojKtgon ^ with 

 about 200 species; Pasjpalum, with 300; Panicum^ with nearly 800; 

 Agrostis, 100; Calamagrostls, 150; Pcmthonia, 100; Erngrosiis^ 100; 

 Poff, 200; Festuca, 250; and Bamhusa^ 50. The figures illustrate 

 various distinct types, showing in each case enlarged views of the in- 

 florescence as well as the habit of the plant; the general similarity 

 of structure however, will be noticed throughout. 



