60 



Arundo Donax (Giant Kccrt Grass). 



This grass is often cultivated for its very ornamental plumes. It is 

 a native of Southern Europe, but is well established on the borders of 

 the Rio Grande Eiver, where it is probably indigenous, and has been 

 recommended for cultivation. 



PHRAGMITES. 



Only differing from Arundo in the lowest flower of the spikelets being 

 staminate only and glabrous. 



Phragmites communis (Reed Grass). 



A tall, coarse, perennial grass, growing on the borders of ponds and 

 streams, almost rivaling sorghum in luxuriance. It attains a height of 

 G to 10 feet ; the culms sometimes an inch in diameter, and leaves 

 an inch or two in width. The panicle is from 9 to 15 inches long, 

 loose, but not much spreading, of an oblong or lanceolate form, 

 and slightly nodding. The branches are very numerous, irregularly 

 whorled, 4 to 8 inches long, much subdivided, and profusely flowering. 

 The largest panicles form very ornamental plumes, almost equal to 

 those of Arundo Donax, so much cultivated for ornamental purposes. 

 It sometimes attains the height of 15 feet. It is resorted to by cattle 

 only when finer and more nutritious grasses fail. (Plate 68.) 



KCBLERIA. 



Koeleria cristata. 



This grass has a very wide diffusion, both in this country and in 

 Europe and Asia. It favors dry hills or sandy prairies, and on the 

 Great Plains is one of the commonest species. It occurs throughout 

 California and extends into Oregon. It varies much in appearance, 

 according to the location in which it grows, these varieties being so 

 striking that they have been considered different species ; and perhaps 

 two species ought to be admitted. It is perennial, with erect culms 

 usually from 1 to 2 feet high, and a spike-like panicle varying from 

 3 to G inches in length, -and more or less interrupted or lobed at 

 the lower part. When grown in very arid places the culms may be 

 only a foot high, the radical leaves short, and the panicle only 2 

 inches long. When grown in more favored situations the radical leaves 

 are sometimes 18 inches long, the stem 3 feet, and the panicle 6 inches. 

 The branches of the panicle are, in short, nearly sessile clusters, crowded 

 above, looser and interrupted below. The spikelets are from two to 

 four-flowered. On the prairies west of the Mississippi it is one of the 

 commonest and most useful of the grasses. In Montana it is sometimes 

 called June grass. It is an early grass, ripening about the first of 

 July. (Plate GO.) 



