Illustrated Descriptions of the Grasses 



Stems, and in the burs, which are really involucres enclosing the 

 spikelets. Before the blossoming-head breaks from the sheath 

 each involucre is short ,^, 



and cup-like, sur- 

 mounted by broad 

 green bristles, but at 

 maturity these bristles 

 are grown together into a 

 hard bur which encloses the 

 seeds and is beset with spines 

 of needle-like sharpness. Later 

 in the season the burs readily 

 become detached and, adhering to 

 passing objects, are carried long 

 distances until they fall on new soil 

 where the seeds establish new colonies 

 of this troublesome grass. 



Bur-grass. Sand-grass. Devil- 

 burs. Hedgehog-grass. Cenchrus ca- 

 rolinidnus Walt. 



Annual. 



Stem 6'-24' in length, much branched, erect or 

 spreading. Sheaths loose, smooth, flat- 

 tened. Ligule a ring of short hairs. 

 Leaves 2'-6' long, 2"-4" wide. 



Spike I '-3' long, composed of 6-20 round, 

 spiny burs enclosing the spikelets; burs 

 more or less downy, sometimes reddish; 

 spines very rigid at maturity. Spikelets 

 2-flowered, about 3" long. Scales 4, thin. 

 Stamens 3. 



Sandy soil. July to September. 



Maine and Ontario to South Dakota, south to 

 Florida, Texas, and southern California. 



INDIAN RICE 



"And I will cut a reed by yonder spring 

 And make the wood-gods jealous." 



Many who are but superficially fa- 

 miliar with the low herbage of the fields 

 hesitate to name as grass such large 



83 



Bur-grass. 

 Cenchrus carolinianus. 



