Fowl mannagrass, also locally known as nerved mannagrass, and 

 tall meadowgrass, is a moderately tall, often tufted perennial grass of 

 the fescue tribe (Festuceae). It is one of the most abundant and 

 widespread of about 16 species of mannagrass which occur in the 

 United States and fairly typical of the group in forage value. 



Fowl mannagrass is distributed from Newfoundland to British 

 Columbia, south to California, Mexico, and Florida, and has an 

 elevational range of from near sea level to about 10,000 feet. This 

 species is confined almost entirely to sites where moisture is abun- 

 dant; it grows typically along stream banks and in and around wet 

 meadows, marshes, and swamps. This grass is tolerant of shade 

 and often occurs in seeps and boggy places under stands of aspen and 

 coniferous timber. Although it sometimes grows pure in small 

 patches, this grass ordinarily is intermixed scatteringly with other 

 meadow grasses, sedges, and rushes, and supplies only a limited 

 amount of forage. 



The succulent herbage of fowl mannagrass is eaten by all classes 

 of grazing animals and is usually rated as good to very good for 

 cattle and horses, and fairly good for sheep. Livestock, especially 

 sheep, do not graze in the excessively wet situations where this 

 grass often grows. Accordingly, its value for forage is highest 

 in the late summer when the leafage is less succulent and the 

 sites somewhat drier. Cattle and horses consume both the flower 

 stalks and leafage ; sheep usually eat only the leaves. This grass is 

 also grazed readily by elk but is used to only a slight extent by deer. 



Some chemical analyses have disclosed traces of hydrocyanic acid 

 in fowl mannagrass and, in fact, some cases of cattle poisoning have 

 been ascribed to it. 1 Scientific evidence that the plants contain 

 enough of the poison to kill livestock is lacking, however. In fact, 

 experience on the national forest ranges demonstrates that the man- 

 nagrasses are good forage plants and can ordinarily be grazed with- 

 out harmful results. The seed matures from July to the forepart 

 of September and is dropped as soon as it ripens. In the Blue 

 Mountains of Oregon, Sampson 2 found the germinative power 

 of the seed to be relatively high and observed that natural reproduc- 

 tion was generally good. 



The name mannagrass originated in Europe where, particularly in Germany 

 and Poland, the seeds of several species of Olyceria- are used in soups and 

 gruels or ground into meal. 8 4 



The grains of our native American species are extremely small and have no 

 economic use except possibly as food for birds. The generic name Glyceria, is 

 from the Greek (glukeros, sweet) and refers to the taste of the grain. The 

 specific names striata, and nervata refer to the (seven) prominent parallel 

 nerves on the backs of the outer flower bracts (lemmas). 



Tall mannagrass (G. ela'ta, syns. Panicula'ria cla'ta, P. ncrva'ta ela'ta) 

 is one of the most common and most valuable of the western species of man- 

 nagrass. This species is very similar to fowl mannagrass in general appear- 

 ance, habitat requirements, and forage value. However, it is a more robust 

 plant, has broader leaves, and grows from 3 to about 6^ feet tall. It ranges 

 from British Columbia and Montana to Wyoming, New Mexico, and California. 



1 Alsberg, C. L., and Black, O. F. CONCERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OK CYANOGEN IN 



GRASSES, ESPECIALLY IN THE GENERA PANICULARIA OR GLYCERIA AND TRIDBNS OR SIEGLINGIA. 



Jour. Biol. Chem. 21 : 601-[610]. 1915. 



2 Sampson, A. W. IMPORTANT RANGE PLANTS : THEIR LIFE HISTORY AND FORAGE VALUE. 

 U. S. Dept. Agr. Bull. 545, 63 pp., illus. 1917. 



3 Francis, M. E. THE BOOK OF GRASSES. 351 pp., illus. Garden City, N. Y. 1912. 



4 Archer, T. C. POPULAE ECONOMIC BOTANY. 359 pp., illus. London. 1853. 



