GRASSES OF IOWA. 



219 



Sieglingia sesleroides (Michx.) Scribn. Beal. Grasses N. A. 2. 

 467. f. 93. 1896. Nash in Britton and Brown. 111. PI. 1: 184. t . 421 . 

 1896. 



Poa sesleroides Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 6S. 1803. 



• • DESCRIPTION. 



Tai i. Red Top. A stout, erect perennial. 3 to 5 feet (7-12 dm.) 

 high, with long, flat leaves, and an ample, spreading, usually purple pan- 

 icle, () to 12 inches (12-24 cm.) long. Culm leaves and sheaths glab- 

 rous; the sheaths at the base of the 

 culm usually crowded and somewhat 

 compressed. Lower leaves 1 to 2 feet 

 (2-4 dm.) long, about \ inch (6 

 mm.) wide, very acute, usually hairj 

 mar the base; ligule very short, cili- 

 ate. Panicle ovate pyramidal, the 

 widely spreading and drooping 

 branches solitary or in pairs, naked 

 below, axils bearded. Spikelets 4 to 

 7-flowered, 3 to 5 lines (7-12 mm.) 

 long; empty glumes thin, broadly 

 ovate, acute, 1 -nerved the largei 

 second glume about 2 lines (4mm.) 

 long; floral glumes about 2 lines (4 

 mm.) long, 3-nerved, oblong, hairy 



te ' ° fe> . FlQ 153 j, rtodm CU p rca —l, plant ; 2, pan- 



on the back below and On the mar- icle; 3, spikelet; 4, floret; 5. floral glumes. 

 1 1 • 1 1 • (Holm Bull. U. Tenn. ) 



ginal nerves tor two-thirds their 



length, apex of the glumes four-lobed, the nerves projecting a little be- 

 tween the lobes. Palea a little shorter than the glumes, the keels strong- 

 ly arched. In fields. July to September. 



Triodia cuprea occurs only in southern and southeastern Iowa. 

 It is found in clay soil, borders of fields and woods. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Iowa. Decatur County (Fitzpatrick) ; Keokuk (P. H. Rolfs) ; 

 Muscatine (Pammel and Reppert). 



North America. In fields from New York, Alabama (Winston, 

 Eggert), Florida (Duval Count)-, Curtiss), Texas (Pammel; Dallas, 

 Reverchon), Oklahoma (Kingfisher, Miller), southern Iowa, central 

 Illinois, Missouri (St. Louis, Eggert; Jefferson Barracks and Valley 

 Park, Pammel), Kansas (Comanche County, Carleton). 



