226 



A TEXT-BOOK OF GRASSES 



rhizomes, with short distichous blades and narrow few- 

 flowered panicles of many-flowered spikelets. In regions 

 where it is abundant, salt-grass is utilized for forage, but 



on account of the excess 

 of mineral constituents it 

 is of inferior quality. 



250. Dactylis L. The 

 single species, D. glome- 

 rata, a native of Europe, 

 is commonly cultivated 

 as a forage grass under 

 the name of orchard- 

 grass. It is a tussock- 

 forming perennial, 2 to 4 

 feet high, with flat blades 

 and narrow panicles. The 

 spikelets are in 1-sided 

 fascicles or small heads 

 at the ends of the few 

 principal branches of the 

 panicle. These branches 

 spread at the time of 

 flowering but close at 

 maturity. The lemmas 

 are fringed or ciliate on 

 the sharp keel. 



FIG. 52. Diatichlis spicata. Staminate 

 plant (at left) and pistillate plant (at 

 right) reduced; pistillate and staminate 

 spikelets. 



Dactylis glomerata L. (Fig. 

 53.) Orchard-grass. Perennial, 

 in large tufts without creeping rootstocks; culms erect, smooth, 2 to 

 4 feet high; sheaths compressed and keeled, more or less retrorsely 

 scabrous, closed for a portion of their length, sometimes nearly to 

 the throat; ligule prominent, thin and papery, pointed, usually lace- 

 rate, the uppermost as much as Y$ inch long; blades flat, usually 

 scabrous on both surfaces, elongated, as much as % inch wide, 



