2b. Plant without rhizomes 



254. Sorghum sudanense — Sudan Grass 



Leaves rolled in bud-shoot; sheath round, smooth, sometimes hairy at 

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

 broad, divided; ligule membranous, 1 to 3 mm. long, rounded, ciliate, 

 may be toothed; blade 20 to 40 mm. wide, smooth above and below, 

 midrib white above and prominent below, margins mostly rough and 

 hyaline. Inflorescence — a large, loose, erect panicle. Cultivated for 

 forage. 



3a. Ligule notched near front on one or both sides 



255. Phleum pratense — Timothy 



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

 ping hyaline margins; auricles absent; collar mostly broad, divided, may 

 be sparsely short hairy on margins; ligule membranous, 1 to 3 mm. long, 

 rounded to acute, with a distinct notch near front on one or both sides ; 

 blade to 14 mm. wide, mostly smooth near base and rough near tip above 

 and below, margins rough. Inflorescence — densely flowered, cylindrical, 

 spike-like. Common throughout. Fields and waste places. 



3b. Ligule not notched as above 4 



m 



« 



ill 



4a. Blade densely velvety hairy above and below 



256. Holcus lanatus — Velvet Grass 



Leaves rolled in bud-shoot; sheath loose, round, dense velvety short 

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

 mostly narrow, divided, hairy; ligule membranous, 1 to 3 mm. long, trun- 

 cate to rounded, toothed ; blade to 14 mm. wide, dense velvety short hairy 

 above and below, keeled below, margins short hairy. Inflorescence— a. 

 long, contracted, pale, purple-tinged panicle. Throughout. Open ground, 

 meadows and moist places. 



4b. Blade not densely velvety hairy 5 



5a. Plant with long creeping rhizomes 6 



5b. Plant without creeping rhizomes 7 



6a. Blade green with white stripes 



257. Phalaris arundinacea var. picta — Ribbon Grass 



Leaves rolled in bud-shoot; sheath round, smooth to slightly rough, 

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

 divided; ligule membranous, 2 to 3 mm. long, rounded; blade white 

 striped, to 18 mm. wide, smooth near base and somewhat rough near tip 

 above and below, midrib prominent below, margins rough. Inflorescence 

 — a densely flowered, spreading to narrow panicle. Cultivated for orna- 

 ment. 



72 



