NATURAL HISTORY. 



61 



compressed, with the flat side towards the rachis ; ghimes nearly 

 equal and opposite, nerved, lower palea like the glumes convex 

 on the back, iiwncd from tlie tip, upper flattened, stamens 

 three ; mostly annuals, but others are perennials, to which the 

 couch grass belongs. The specific characters of couch grass are, 

 roots creeping extensively, stem erect, round, smooth, from one 



to two or two and a half feet 

 high, striated, having five or six 

 flat leaves with smooth, striated 

 sheaths ; the joints are smooth, 

 the two uppermost very remote, 

 leaves dark green, acute, upper 

 one broader than the lower ones, 

 roughish, sometimes hairy on the 

 inner surface, smooth on the lower 

 half. Inflorescence in 

 spikes. Flowers in 

 June and July. In- 

 troduced from Europe. 

 (Figs. GO and Gl.) 



This plant is gen- 

 erally regarded by 

 farmers as a trouble- 

 some weed, and ef- 

 forts are made to get rid of it. Its 

 long, creeping roots, branching in 

 every direction, take complete pos- 

 session of the soil and impoverish 

 it. When green, however, it is 

 very much relished by cattle, and 

 if cut in the blossom it makes a 

 nutritious hay. "Dogs eat the 

 leaves of this grass and those of 

 one other species for their medici- 

 nal qualities in exciting, vomiting. 

 I have seen acres of it on the Con- 

 necticut River meadov/s, where it 

 had taken possession and grew 

 luxuriantly, and is called wheat grass, from its resemblance 

 to wheat. It goes in different parts of the State by a great 



Fig. 61. 



Fig. GO, Couch, or Twitch Grass. 



