80 



GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



It 



>// 



(setaria viridis,') 



has a spike cylindri- "~ ^^"^^^ ^n 



cal, more or less ^V, 



compound, green, '"' '-vr/x^iT^^;^.^'^- 



bristles few in a ^^ 



cluster, longer than 



the spikelets, flower 



perfect, striate lengthwise and dotted. 



is common in cultivated grounds. 



The Bengal Grass, sometimes called 

 Millet, (^setaria italica,^ also belongs to 

 this genus. It has a compound spike, 

 thick, nodding, six to nine inches long, 

 yellowish or purplish, bristles two or thre^ 

 in a cluster. Introduced from Europe. 



Bur Grass, or Hedgehog Grass, (cen- 

 chrus tribuloides,} is somewhat common 

 on sandy soils on the coast, or ne the 

 salt water, where the spikes are whitish. 

 It is regarded as a troublesome weed on 

 account of its prickly burs. Flowers in 

 August. 



Gama Grass, or Sesame Grass, Qrip- 

 sacum dacty hides,') though not often 

 found in this State is one of the largest 

 and most remarkable grasses, though not 

 one that would be considered of any value 

 where better could be had. Its stalk is 

 from four to seven eet high, and the 

 leaves look not very unlike those of Indian 

 corn. Grows on moist soils near the 



coast. Flowers in August. ^'^- '* Hungarian MiUet. 



Finger-spiked Wood Grass, (^andropog-on furcatus.') Of 

 this genus about sixty species are known to botanists. But 

 few of these are indigenous to this country. Its generic char- 

 acteristics are, a neuter or staminate lower flower, glumes and 

 paleai often wanting, upper flower perfect, glumes awnless, lower 

 palea awned. Flowers in panicles and spikes. 



Specific description: Stems four feet high, leaves nearly 

 smooth, spikes digitate or generally by threes and fours, lower 



