MANUAL OF THE GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 3 



RANGE GRASSES 



A large number of grasses make up much of the wild pasture, known 

 in the West as the range, only the more abundant and valuable of 

 which are recognized by stockmen as important. Probably the best 

 known range grass is buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides) , a sod-forming 

 " short grass" dominant over much of the Great Plains. Throughout 

 the same region two tufted short grasses, blue grama (Bouteloua 

 gracilis) and hairy grama (B. hirsuta), are abundant. In Texas the 

 dominant grass over much of the range is curly mesquite (Hilaria 

 belangeri) a sod-former similar to buffalo grass. 



In the prairie region of the Mississippi Valley and in the eastern 

 part of the Great Plains certain "tall grasses" in earlier days furnished 

 excellent hay and pasture, but in recent times these fertile grasslands 

 have been broken up for cultivated fields. The more important tall 

 grasses are blue joint turkeyfoot (Andropogonfurcatus), prairie beard- 

 grass (A. scoparius) , switch grass (Panicum virgatum), side-oats grama 

 {Bouteloua curtipendula) , and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans). 



The marsh hay of the northern Mississippi Valley consists of blue- 

 joint (Calamagrostis canadensis) , reed canary grass (Phalaris arundin- 

 acea), and a few other wet-land species. 



The forage grasses of the Great Basin include species of Poa, 

 Festuca, Bromus, Aristida, and Stipa. In the Southwest, the gramas, 

 species of Bouteloua, dominate the range. A large bunchgrass, 

 :sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii), and alkali sacaton (S. airoides) furnish 

 much forage. 



A few of the many nutritious species found in the Northwestern 

 States are greenleaf fescue (Festuca viridula), bluebunch fescue 

 (F. idahoensis), pinegrass (Calamagrostis rubescens), slender wheat- 

 grass (Agropyron pauciflorum) , Calif ornia bromegrass (Bromus carina- 

 tus), and in the semiarid regions bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron 

 spicatum). 



GRASSES IN THE INDUSTRIAL ARTS 



The most important species of the industrial arts group is the sugar- 

 cane (p. 718). This might be included among grasses that furnish 

 food, but sugar is a manufactured product. 



The chief fiber-producing grasses are esparto (Lygeum spartum and 

 Stipa tenacissima) also known as alfa, natives of Spain and north 

 Africa. The leaves and stems are utilized in paper making. The 

 pith of the cornstalk and the oil of the corn grain find many uses in 

 the arts. 



Certain aromatic grasses furnish essential oils used in perfumery. 

 The best known are the lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), citronella 

 grass (C. nardus), and vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) . 



The bamboos, the largest of the grasses, are of vast importance 

 in the Indo-Malay region and are receiving increasing attention in 

 the United States. The larger kinds reach a height of 30 meters and 

 are 15 to 25 or 30 centimeters thick below, tapering to the summit. 

 The culms or stems are very strong and are used in building houses 

 and bridges. When the stems are split, flattened out, and the parti- 

 tions at the joints removed they make very durable boards, a foot or 

 more wide, for floors and walls. Rafts and floats are made of the 

 hollow stems closed at the joints by natural airtight partitions. 

 With the partitions removed bamboo stems furnish water pipes or 



