Illustrated Descriptions of the Grasses 



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perennial, with narrow panicles of pale green spikelets, is some- 

 times common in moist woods and meadows, but it is a plant little 

 noticed save by the student to 

 whom each new grass is a dis- 

 covery of absorbing interest. 



Dry, open woods are the 

 home of the Slender Sphen- 

 opholis (Sphendpholis nttida) 

 which shows a more open 

 panicle in bloom, though the 

 branches are drawn closely to 

 the stem before and after 

 blossoming. The plant is some- 

 what more slender than others 

 of this genus, and the spikelets 

 are not so crowded, but the 

 same pale green colour is char- 

 acteristic of the whole plant. 



Early Bunch-grass {Sphen- 

 dpholis oUusata) blooms in dry 

 soil, and when in bright sun- 

 light the spike-like panicles of 

 short, erect, densely flowered 

 branches are frequently tinged 

 with greenish purple. This 

 grass soon fades, and in July 

 the slender stems become a 

 shining yellow tinged with 

 pink. 



Marsh Oats. Sphendpholis 

 paUstris (Michx.) Scribn. 



Perennial. 



Stem 1-3 ft. tall, slender, erect. 

 Ligule less than i" long. 

 Leaves i'-5' long, about 2" 

 wide, flat, roughish. 



Panicle 2'-8' long, narrow, loosely 

 flowered, yellowish green, 

 branches short, slender. Spike- 

 lets 2-flowered, about 3" long. 

 Outer scales acute, nearly 



135 



Marsh Oats 

 Sphenopholis palusiris 



Meadow Sphenopholis 

 Splienopholis patlens 



