G9 



REDTOP 



Agros'tis al'ba, syn. "A. palus'tris" 1 



Flower heads (panicles) large (2 to 12 in. 

 long), open, upright, pyramid-shaped or egg- 

 shaped, usually reddish purple; branches as- 

 cending, spreading in flower, more contracted- 

 in fruit, the lower ones in whorls 



Individual flower groups (spikelets) 1-flow- 

 ered, small (less than % in. long)' 



Lowest (2) spikelet bracts (glumes) nearly 

 equal, pointed,smooth, harsh to the touch on keel 



Outer floiger bract (lemma) % to Y\ as long as 

 glumes, blunt-tipped, mostly beardless (awn- 

 less), thin-papery, hairless 



Inner flower bract (palea) well-developed, up 

 to % as long as lemma, thin-papery, 2-nerved 



Stalks (cuIms)-^-erect or often bent at base, 

 usually 8 to 36 in. (sometimes up to 5 ft.) high, 

 simple, smooth, hairless 



'Of U. S. all 

 thors. not Huds 



Leaves mostly basal, numerous, flat, K to J 

 in. wide, up to 8 in. long, harsh to the touch; 

 sheaths smooth 



Appendage (ligule) at junction of sheath and 

 blade, prominent, up to about y t in. long, pointed, 

 membranous, irregularly cut along edges 



Rootstocks horizontally creeping, under- 

 ground, scaly 



Roots fibrous 



