The Book of Grasses 



like awns, and in the upper spikelets show as tiny points. The 

 ripened spikelets soon fall from the ribbon-like rachis, but the 

 faded stems endure winter's cold and remain standing through a 

 second season. 



Bottle-brush Grass. Hysirix pdtula Moench. 



Perennial. 

 Stem 2-4 ft. tall, rather slender, erect. Ligule very short. Leaves 5'-io' 



long, 3"-6" wide, flat, roughish, downy on upper surface. 

 Spike 3'-7' long, not densely flowered. Spikelets 2-4-flowered, spreading, 



in 2's or 3's at each joint of the flattened rachis. Outer empty scales 



awn-like, sometimes 9" long, usually present only in lower spikelets; 



flowering scales 4"-6" long terminating in a slender, rough awn 10"- 



18" long; palets nearly as long as flowering scales. Stamens 3, anthers 



yellowish green. 

 Rocky woods. June to August. 

 New Brunswick to Ontario and Minnesota, south to Georgia and Arkansas. 



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