SOUTHERN GRASSES 251 



be pastured from May until November. During the cool 

 weather of winter it makes practically no growth. 



PASPALUM 



303. Paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum) is a native of 

 Argentina and perhaps also of the Gulf States. At any 

 rate it occurs apparently native from North Carolina to 

 Florida and west to Texas. The probabilities are, how- 

 ever, that it was introduced into the Southern States where 

 it has been known at least 50 years. It is readily dis- 

 tinguished from related native species by having the 

 glumes and sterile lemma ciliate with long hairs. 



This grass is known also under the names of large water- 

 grass, golden crown-grass and hairy-flowered paspalum. 

 It is a smooth perennial, with a deep, strong root system, 

 and grows in clumps or bunches 2 to 4 feet high. The 

 leaves are numerous near the ground, but few on the 

 stems. The stems are weak and spreading, seldom erect 

 unless supported by other grasses. Its habit makes it 

 much better adapted to pastures than for meadows, but 

 where abundant it is cut for hay. 



Paspalum can scarcely be called a cultivated grass in 

 the United States, as it is seldom sown, but is welcomed 

 in pastures where it appears spontaneously. Some 

 farmers collect seed and scatter in pastures to induce its 

 spread. The best seeds are produced late in the season. 

 As a pasture grass it is desirable from the abundance of 

 leaves it produces, and the fact that it remains green and 

 grows in all but the very coldest part of the year. It is 

 quite tussocky in habit, however, and so is best in mix- 

 tures. 



In New South Wales, paspalum has proven valuable as 

 a hay and pasture grass and has there been greatly praised 



