194 HOLCUS MOLLIS, L., CREEPING SOFT GRASS. 



wheu greeu or in hay, being too soft, spongy, and insipid. It is 

 almost a weed, tending to usurp the land, and is one of the few 

 poor grasses which is not reduced but increased by manuring a 

 meadow [of mixed species]. The seed should be carefully 

 excluded." 



Dr. Phares says : " It has been introduced into Texas, and 

 constitutes nine-tenths of all the so-called mesquit grass planted 

 in the .Southern States. It grows much larger than in the Eastern 

 States or in England ; and it seems too, to be more valuable and 

 greatly improved here. It grows two to four feet high in the 

 South." 



Holciis mollis, L., Creeping? Soft Orass. — This much resem- 

 bles the former grass, but is not so common. In Great Britain 

 the creeping habit makes it very troublesome. The nodes are 

 villous, awn inflexed, exserted. Much like H. lanatus, but 

 usually more slender. 



cYNosna.s, :.. 



Spikelets dimorphous, fascicled in a dense one-sided spike-like 

 panicle; the terminal fascicle 2-3 fid., flowers perfect, the lower 

 consisting of 1-2 neutral flowers. Rachilla of the fertile spikelet 

 usually jointed above the lower glumes. The empty glumes 

 linear, lanceolate, acute or short awned. Floral glumes broader, 

 membranous, 1-3-nerved, mi;cronate or awned at the apex or on 

 the back. The terminal one narrower, empty, inclosing a stam- 

 inate flower, or reduced to an awn. Glumes of the sterile spike- 

 lets distichous, pectinate, all empty, sub-equal, linear, subulate, 

 1-nerved ; rachilla continuous. Palea of the fertile flower nar- 

 row, 2-toothed. Lodicules with a basal lobe. Stamens 3. Styles 

 distinct, short, stigmas plumose. Caryopsis oblong or elliptical, 

 included by the glume and palea and adherent. Tufted annuals 

 or perennials with flat leaves. The sterile spikelets form an invo- 

 lucre tn the fertile one. 



