474 GRASS FAMILY. 



and broad-leaved, with drooping, large, 6-10-flowered spikelets much flat- 

 tened laterally, so that the lower glumes are almost conduplicate and 

 keeled on the back ; awns very short. ^ Trop. Amer. and W. United 

 States ; has been recommended for fodder S. 



B. brizcef6rmis, Fisch. & Mey. Elegant grass, in clumps ; 2 high, with 

 many large, drooping, oblong-ovate, silvery -yellow, 12-30-flowered spike- 

 lets ; awns ; lower sheaths and often the short leaves hairy. Caucasus. 



Br/za mdxima, Linn. LARGE QUAKING GRASS or RATTLESNAKE GRASS. 

 A low grass, with the hanging, ovate-heart-shaped, 12-20- flowered spike- 

 lets somewhat like those of Bromus, but pointless, very tumid, purplish, 

 becoming dry and papery, rattling in the wind, whence the common 

 name ; awns 0. Eu. 



B. minor, Linn. (B. GRiciLis). LITTLE QUAKING GRASS. Smaller, 

 with triangular-ovate spikelets, which are about 7-flowered ; glumes 

 longer than the flowers. Very delicate and pretty. Eu. and Asia. 



<- H- Spikelets large, but loose, oat-like. 



Avena steri/is, Linn. ANIMATED OAT. Sometimes grown for the curi- 

 ous movements of the ripe florets due to the hygroscopic action of the 

 profuse covering of hairs ; panicle very large ; the spikelets about twice 

 the size of those of the Common Oat. Eu. 



f- H- - Singular grass, with imperfect flowers ; the perfect one (with 1 or 

 2 sterile ones) borne inside a seed-like, pearly, flask-shaped pouch formed 

 by the sheath of a leaf; sterile inflorescence projecting from the flask. 



Colx Ldcryma-Jobi, Linn. JOB'S TEARS, TEAR GRASS. Plant 2-4 

 high, grown for the ornamental clusters of so-called "seeds" (these 

 sometimes used for rosaries), which are as large as a cherry stone, shining 

 and whitish. India and China. 



* * Diffuse, half-creeping perennial grass with small simple panicles, 

 grown in conservatories. 



Oplismenus Burmanni, Pal. (P^NICUM VARIEGATUM of florists). Slender 

 and spreading plants grown in pots, hanging baskets and under benches, 

 known by its spreading, narrow-lanceolate, long-pointed leaves (2'-4' 

 long), which are more or less perfectly 2-ranked and in the common form 

 neatly striped with white and pink after the manner of the Wandering 

 Jew. Recalls depauperate forms of Barnyard Grass. Tropical Asia. 



* * * Tall perennial grasses, grown for lawn decoration. 

 -v- Panicle very silky-hairy, the hairs on the rhachis or in the flower. 



Miscdnthus Sinensis, Anders. (EULALIA JAPONIC A and varieties). 

 ZEBRA GRASS. A stately grass from Japan, the forms with leaves striped 

 or banded (EUL\LIA ZEBRINA, etc., of nurserymen) with yellow, now the 

 most common ; 4 c -9 high, with long slender leaves, and a rather small 

 erect panicle late in the season ; spikelets 1-flowered, stamens 3, flower- 

 ing glumes more or less bifid, and awned between the teeth. 



Gynerium argenteum, Nees. PAMPAS GRASS. Tall, reed-like grass, 

 from S. Amer., with a large tuft of rigid linear and tapering recurved- 

 sp reading leaves, several feet in length ; the flowering stem 6 to 12 feet 

 high and overtopping the leaves in autumn, bearing an ample silvery-silky 

 panicle ; spikelets loosely 2-oo -flowered. 



Eridnthus Ravennae, Beauv. PLUME GRASS. Stems 6-10 high, bear- 

 ing plume-like, violet or brownish, silky panicles l-2 long ; leaves for 

 the most part in a clump at the base of the stems ; spikelets. awned, with 

 one perfect flower ; rhachis of the branches of the panicle jointed. S. Eu. 



Arundo Dbnax, Linn. 8-20 high, grown for its stately habit (and the 

 striped leaves of one variety); leaves comparatively short, broad and flat. 



