GRASS FAMILY. 159 
35. AGROSTIS L. Sp. Pl. 6. 1753. 
(TRicHODIUM Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 41. 1803.] 
Annual or perennial tufted grasses with flat or bristle-like leaves and paniculate inflores- 
cence. Spikelets 1-flowered. Scales 3; the 2 outer empty, membranous, keeled, acute ; 
the third shorter, obtuse, hyaline, sometimes bearing a dorsal awn, subtending a perfect 
flower; palet shorter than the scale, sometimes minute or wanting. Stamens usually 3. 
Styles distinct, short. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scale. Seed adherent 
to the pericarp. [Name Greek, referring to the field habitat of many species. ] 
_ _Agenus of about roo species, widely distributed throughout the world, particularly numerous 
in temperate regions. Besides the following some 15 others are found in western North America. 
Palet conspicuous, at least one-third as long as the scale. 1. A. alba. 
Palet inconspicuous, minute or wanting. 
Branches of the contracted panicle short, spikelet-bearing to the base; third jeale awnless. 
2. A. exarata. 
eesucies of the panicle slender, naked below, spikelet-bearing from about the middle to the 
ends. 
Third scale awned. 
Awn very finely filiform and flexuous, at least twice the length of the spikelet which 
is 4'’ long. 3. A. Elliottiana. 
Awn stouter, rigid, usually bent, less than twice the length of the spikelet. 
Branches of the panicle generally ascending; spikelets 1’’ long. 
4, A. cantina. 
6'' long. 
5. A. rubra. 
Branches of the panicle usually spreading; spikelets 114/’—1} 
Third scale not awned, or very rarely bearing a short awn. 
Culms weak, usually decumbent and often prostrate at base; leaves lax; spikelets 
long. 6. A. perennans. 
Culms and leaves erect. 
Branches of the panicle capillary, elongated, usually dividing above the middle, 
the spikelets crowded at the extremities. 
aie 
4 
Spikelets 4'’-1'’ long; leaves short. 7. A. hiemalis. 
Spikelets 1%'’-1%4"' long; leaves elongated. 8. A. al/issima. 
Branches of the panicle not elongated, dividing at or below the middle. 
Spikelets about 1'’ long; a grass of low elevations. 9. A. intermedia, 
Spikelets 14%/’-114"’ long; a high mountain grass. 10. A. Novae-Angliae. 
1. Agrostis alba I. Red-top. Fiorin. Herd’s-grass. (Fig. 362.) 
Agrostis alba ¥,. Sp. Pl. 63. 1753- 
Agrostis vulgaris With. Bot. Arr. Brit. Pl. 
Ed. 3, 132. 1796. 
Agrostis alba var. vulgaris Thurber in A. 
Gray, Man. Ed. 6, 647. 1890. 
DA 
Culms 8/-2%° tall, erect or decumbent 
at the base, often stoloniferous, simple, 
smooth and glabrous. Sheaths usually 
shorter than the internodes, often crowded 
at the base of the culm; ligule 4’” long or 
less; leaves 2/-8/ long, 1//-3/’ wide, sca- 
brous; panicle 2/-9/ in length, contracted 
or open, green or purplish, the branches 
ascending or erect, the lower 1/—3/ long; 
spikelets 1//-1 4’/ long; outer scales about 
equal, acute, smooth and glabrous, except 
on the hispid or scabrous keel; third 
scale shorter, obtuse or acute, the palet at 
least one-third its length. 
A most variable species occurring in fields 
and meadows nearly throughout North Amer- 
ica, extensively cultivated for fodder. Natu- 
ralized from Europe, and perhaps also native 
northward. We have been unable satisfac- 
torily to separate A. sylvatica I,. from this. 
July-Sept. 
It 
