WEEDY GRASSES 167 



found around the burrows of prairie dogs. It readily 

 occupies any new soil such as fire guard furrows and 

 roadsides. Dog-town grass is an erect bunch grass with 

 numerous short leaves at the base and a flower stalk a 

 few inches to a foot high, bearing rather few spikelets. 

 The florets or seed are tipped with three slender spreading 

 awns or bristles. When ripe these seeds break away 

 and are blown in quantities before the wind. The point 

 (base) of the seed is hard and sharp, the three hori- 

 zontally spreading bristles are 1 to 4 inches long. The 

 wind blows these seeds point forwards and they stick into 

 clothing, and into the coats of animals. 



Wild barley, wild rye (species of Sitanion). This is an 

 erect tufted perennial usually about a foot high. The 

 flower head is close and bristly, somewhat resembling 

 barley, rye, and bearded wheat. At maturity the oblong 

 head breaks up into joints, each joint bearing a sharp 

 point at base and several spreading bristles 1 to ,3 inches 

 long. Before breaking up, the head may become de- 

 tached from the plant and blow about. The beards or 

 bristles are backwardly roughened so that the sections 

 penetrate clothing and readily work their way inward. 

 These seeds are troublesome and even dangerous to stock 

 as they work their way into the mouths, nostrils, and 

 eyes of grazing animals. This kind of wild barley is 

 found widely distributed west of the 100th meridian. 



