214 GRASSES OF IOWA. 



The rachis bearing a ring of hairs at the base of the 

 flowering glume, which is toothed at the apex; a 



water grass Scolochloa . u . 



No ring of hairs at base of the flowering glumes. 



Flowering glumes prominently 5-7 nerved, scarious 



at the usually obtuse apex Glyceria ''. 



Flowering glumes acute, few-nerved, awned or awn- 

 pointed at the apex; styles terminal. .Festuca. u . 

 Flowering glumes 5-9-nerved, acute, mostly awned 

 from below the 2-toothed apex, sometimes keeled 

 on the back, at least above; style scarcely terminal. 



— Bromus. 1T . 



1. GYNERIUM. 



Gynerium. H. B. K. Plant. Aequin. 2: 112. pi. 115. 1809. Endlicher. 

 Gen. PI. 91. Bentham & Hooker. Gen. PI. 3: 1178. Hackel in Engler & 

 Prantl. Nat. Pflanz. Fam. II. 2: 67. Scribner. Ball. U. S. Dept. Agr. 

 Div. Agros. 20: 124. /. 93. [Rev. Ed.] 



Spikelets loosely 2 to many-liowered, dioecious; rachilla articulated 

 above the empty glumes, usually long-pilose, at least in the fertile spike- 

 lets. Empty glumes 2, narrow and very long, acuminate-pointed ; flow- 

 ering glumes very narrow, produced into long, subulate points, the back 

 and margins clothed with long, silky hairs; flowering glumes in the 

 staminate spikelets usually smooth. Tall, reed-like, perennial grasses, 

 with solid culms, and very long, narrow leaves, which are chiefly from 

 the base, and ample, showy, terminal panicles. 



A small genus of South American plants of 3 species. Occasionally 

 cultivated, but not hardy; extensively cultivated, however, in California 

 under the name of Pampas grass. 



1. GYNERIUM ARGENTEUM. 



Gynerium argenteum. Nees. .- gr. Bras. 462. Scribner. Bull. U. S. 

 Dept. Agr. Div. Agros. 20: 124. /. 93. 1900. Scribner. Grasses of Tenn. 

 Bull. Univ. Tenn. Agrl. Exp. Sta. 7: 92. 1890. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Pampas Grass. Culm six to ten feet high, with numerous, very 

 long, narrow leaves.and silvery-white panicles, one to two and one-half 

 feet long. This grass is highly decorative for lawns, and the large, 

 plume-like panicles are used for dry bouquets. In California it is culti- 

 vated for these "plumes" which command a ready market in the larger 

 cities. The grass is a native of Brazil and Argentine Republic, where 



