58 FODDER AND PASTURE PLANTS. 



ORCHARD GRASS (Dactylis glomerata L.). 



Plate 8; Seed, Plate 26, Fig. 13. 

 Other English name: Cocksfoot. 



Botanical description : Orchard Grass is perennial with a very 

 short rootstock. The stems, which are from two to three feet high, 

 are crowded and surrounded at the base by numerous leafy shoots. 

 The leaves are long, broad and flat, rather soft in texture, and for 

 this reason often overhanging, especially in dry, hot weather. Orchard 

 Grass can be easily recognized, even at a very early stage of de- 

 velopment, by the basal shoots which are flat and double-keeled. 

 This peculiar shape of the shoots is due to the leaves in the bud 

 being folded together along the middle line. The flowers are in a 

 short panicle, which as a rule has only two or three stout and 

 rather short main branches. When in bloom the branches spread 

 like the toes of a bird's foot hence the English name Cocksfoot. 

 During the ripening period they gradually move upward, after the 

 manner of arms being lifted over the head, so as to form a rather 

 narrow panicle. The branches of the panicle are naked below, 

 carrying the spikelets at their top in dense, one-sided clusters. The 

 spikelets are compressed, the one side being slightly hollow, the other 

 rounded. They contain from two to five flowers, each of which is 

 enclosed within two strongly keeled and sharply pointed glumes. The 

 stamens are developed a trifle later than the pistil. Thus there is 

 a possibility of cross-fertilization between flowers of different plants. 

 The flowers of a panicle are, however, very crowded and self-fertiliz- 

 ation probably takes place to a great extent. 



Geographical distribution: Orchard Grass is indigenous to 

 Europe, the temperate zone of Asia and northern Africa. It was 

 introduced into North America very early. When it was first grown 

 for fodder in England, about one hundred and fifty years ago, the 

 seed was obtained from Virginia. It is now grown in temperate 

 regions all over the world. 



Habitat: Orchard Grass grows naturally in meadows, waste 

 places, along roadsides, etc. It occurs in woods as well as in open 

 fields, and is more adapted to shady situations than other meadow 

 grasses. Its frequent occurrence in orchards has given it its name. 



