GRASSES OF MINOR IMPORTANCE 



113 



Natal grass is an erect perennial, 2 

 or 3 feet high or sometimes taller. The 

 inflorescence is a silky, pale or dark 

 pink, rather congested panicle 4 to 

 8 inches long. It is a native of 

 South Africa. The botan- 

 ical name is Tricholaena 

 rosea Nees. 



Several cuttings of nu- 

 tritious hay can be pro- 

 cured each year. It can 

 be grown from the seed or 

 by setting out divisions of 

 the crown or root. Natal 

 grass is tender and cannot 

 be grown north of Florida 

 or the vicinity of the Gulf 

 Coast. It cannot compete with 

 other grasses on rich alluvial 

 soil but is well adapted to rather 

 dry sandy soil. 



SLENDER WHEAT GRASS 



This is a native species found grow- 

 ing in the western part of the United 

 States from Colorado to California and 

 northward. It is a bunch grass with 

 erect stems 2 to 4 feet tall. The struc- 

 ture of the seed head is the same as 

 that of wheat, but the spikelets are 

 smaller and more slender, the glumes 



24. Natal Grass. 



