

8a. Stems below ground with a series of bulbs 



221. Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum — Bulbous Oatgrass 



Leaves rolled in bud-shoot; sheath round, smooth or sometimes short 

 hairy, split with overlapping hyaline margins; auricles absent; collar 

 broad, divided; ligule membranous, to 1 mm. long, rounded, toothed; 

 blade to 10 mm. wide, rough and sometimes sparsely short hairy above, 

 smooth below, margins rough. Inflorescence — a narrow, pale or purplish, 

 shining panicle. Delaware, West Virginia south. Occasionally a weed in 

 fields. 



8b. Stems below ground without a series of bulbs 



222. Arrhenatherum elatius — Tall Oatgrass 



Leaves rolled in bud-shoot ; sheath round, smooth, split with overlap- 

 ping hyaline margins ; auricles absent ; collar broad, divided ; ligule mem- 

 branous, .4 to .8 mm. long, truncate; blade to 10 mm. wide, rough above, 

 smooth below, margins rough. Inflorescence — a narrow, pale or purplish, 

 shining panicle. Throughout. Meadows, open ground and waste places. 



9a. Plants densely tufted, perennial 10 



9b. Plants not densely tufted, annual 



223. Hordeum pusillum — Little Barley 



Leaves rolled in bud-shoot ; sheath round, smooth or short hairy, split 

 with overlapping hyaline margins; auricles absent; collar narrow, may 

 appear divided; ligule membranous, .2 to .6 mm. long (occasionally to 

 1 mm. ) , truncate ; blade 3 to 6 mm. wide smooth to somewhat rough or 

 sometimes short hairy above, smooth or occasionally short hairy below, 

 margins rough or short hairy. Inflorescence — a dense, short-bristly, flat- 

 tened-cylindric spike. Delaware south. Open ground. 



10a. Sheath thin, often shredded 



224. Hordeum brachyantherum — Meadow Barley 



Leaves rolled in bud -shoot ; sheath round, smooth or short hairy, split 

 with overlapping margins hyaline or hairy; auricles absent; collar nar- 

 row; ligule membranous, .4 to .6 mm. long, truncate; blade mostly 3 to 6 

 mm. wide, rough above, smooth to rough below, margins rough. Inflores- 

 cence — a dense, short-bristly, flattened-cylindric spike. Maine to New 

 York. Meadows, bottom lands, salt marshes. Not common. 



10b. Sheath not as above 



225. Hordeum jubatum — Squirrel-tail Barley 



Leaves rolled in bud-shoot ; sheath round, smooth or short hairy, split 

 with overlapping hyaline margins; auricles absent; collar narrow to me- 

 dium broad, may be divided; ligule membranous, .4 to 1 mm. long, 

 truncate to rounded, may be toothed or ciliate; blade 3 to 6 mm. wide, 

 rough or short hairy above, smooth or rough or occasionally short hairy 

 below, margins rough. Inflorescence — a dense, very bushy, nodding 

 spike. South to Maryland. Meadows and waste places. 



64 



