72 



The grass will grow on almost auy kiud of soil, from that whith is poor and 

 sandy or gravelly to heavy calcareous and clayey soils. It thrives in the dry 

 and hot climates of northern Africa, where many millious of acres are covered 

 almost exclusively with it. This grass is extensively cultivated in the south of 

 France, and possihly its introduction into some of our Southwestern districts 

 may render proritaldc. regions now practically worthless. It may lie propagated 

 Ijy seeds or hy divisions of the root. The latter is the more common method. 

 This and Lygeum apartiun ((institute the Esparto of commerce. 



No. 237. Stipa vaseyi Scribn. Sleepy-grass. 



A sttmt hunch-grass 3 to 5 feet high, which grows in the Rocky Mountains at an 

 altitude of Irom 5,000 to 6,000 feet, 'ihis grass, although producing a large bulk 

 of stems and leaves, is regarded with suspicion bj' stockmen. It is said that 



when this grass is eaten in a fresh state by 

 horses it has a narcotic or jioisonous effect, 

 causing the animals to become crazed or 

 "locoed,'' its action thus resembling that of 

 the diadly loco weed {Astragalus moUlssimits). 

 Hay made from this grass does not appar- 

 ently possess any poisonous qualities. 



No. 238. Stipa viridula Triu. Feather Bunch- 

 grass. (Fig, 87.) 



A rather slender grass, 1 to 3 feet high, growing 

 in the Kocky Mountain legion and on the 

 foothills and mesas, from British Columbia 

 southward to Mexico and westward to the 

 coast On good laud, under irrigation, this 

 gra.ss attains the height of 3 feet or more, 

 and is by far the most valuable of the Stipas 

 for hay. The leafy culms are terminated by 

 a narrow, many-Howercd panicle of compar- 

 atively small and rather short-awued spike- 

 lets. The seed may be easily gathered. The 

 callus at the base of the fruiting glume is 

 short and l)arely pointed and not produced 

 into a long, very sharp, spur-like extension, 

 as in Porcupine-grass. 



Nc. 239. Thuarea sarmentosa Pers. 

 A low, extensively creeping grass, rooting at thi^ 

 joints, with ascending llowering branches, 

 short leaves, and slender spikes about an inch 

 Icmg. A native of Ceylon, northern Australia, etc., growing on the sands of 

 th(! coast. It is a tender grass, and may be useful in binding coast sands in 

 tropical countries or in the formation of lawns. 



No. 240. Trichloris blauchar(iiana Scribn. 



A jieronnial, li to 3 feet high, with flat leaves, and six to eighteen slender, Itearded 

 sj)ikes, vrhicli are 2 to 5 inches long, digitate or fasciculate at the apex of the 

 culm. It has long l»eeu kuowu to llorists under the name of Chhropsix hlainh- 

 ardiaiia, and is estceme(l as an ornamental grass, its attractive appearance mak- 

 ing it worthy of attention. It grows in Arizona and Mexico, extending into 

 South America. 



No. 241. Tricholaena rosea Nccs. 



A South African annual ( ?), with ditTueely brandling stems 2 to 1 feet high. The 

 spikclcts are in loose i)ani( b s. and clothed with reddish, silky hairs. It pre- 



FiG. 87.— Fcatlier Buncb-grass (^tipa 

 viridula). 



