40 



GRASSES OF IOWA. 



DESCRIPTION'. 



Sorghum. Fruit and spikelets usually larger and rounder than 

 in A. Halepensis, and rachis not articulate; the var Durra., with more 

 condensed panicles and deltoid spikelets. Culms 5 to 12 feet (12-30 

 dm.) high, with smooth, broad leaf, erect, rather compact, panicle, 4 to 

 8 lines (10-20 cm.) long, 3 to 5 lines (6-10 cm.) wide. Spikelets 

 round, ovoid; lodicules red, hairy at the apex. Panicle usually dense, 

 ovoid, y}f inches (15 cm.) long. A very variable species. 



The other common names of this grass are Guinea corn, millet, 

 Indian millet, Imphee, Chinese sugar cane, Egyptian rice corn. In the 

 south it is commonly known as chicken corn. 



TRIBE III. OSTERDAMI^E. 



Spikelets solitary or in groups of 2 to 8, each group falling as a 



whole from the continuous rachis. usually 1 -flowered, hermaphrodite, 



or staminate and hermaphrodite in the same 



group; flowering glume less firm in texture 



than the awned or awnless outer ones, which 



are herbaceous, chartaceous, or coriaceous ; 



the first glume is usually larger than the 



second. 



This small tribe numbers about 25 species 



representing nearly half that number of 



genera. Fifteen of the species occur in the 



warm temperate regions of North America. 



Of the genera there are Hilaria, Aegopogon, 



Nazia and Osterdamia. Hilaria is not 



uncommon from Colorado to Mexico. One 



species, Osterdamia matrdla, is cultivated 

 Fig. 28. A group of three 



spikelets of Hilaria. under the name of Korean lawn grass. 



1. OSTERDAMIA. 



Osterdamia Neck. Elem. Bot. 3: 218. 1690. Bentham & Hooker Gen. PI. 

 3: 1124. Scribner. Bull TJ. S. Dept. Agrl. Div. Agros. 20: 29. / 17. 



Zoysia Willd. Gesell. Nat. Fr. Berlin, n. Schr. 3: 440. Endlicher 

 Gen. PI. 106. Hackel in Engler & Prantl. Nat. Pflanz. Fam. II. 2: 31. 



Osterdamia matretla Pers. Syn. PI. 1: 73. 



