50 THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 



53. ELYMUS VIRGINICUS, Linneus. 

 El'-y-mus Vir-yiii-i-cus. 



PLATE XXVI. 



Common Names. Smooth Rye-Grass, Virginian Lyme-Grass, 

 Wild Rye-Grass, Terrell Grass. 



Perennial. Stem erect, from two to four feet high ; leaves 

 broadly linear, bright green, rough ; spike rigidly erect, thick, from 

 two to three inches long, on a short stem usually included in the 

 sheath of the upper leaf ; spikelets mostly in pairs from two to 

 three-flowered, the flowers nearlj T smooth ; glumes lanceolate, 

 strongly nerved and bristle-pointed ; flowering glume obscurely 

 nerved and ending in a slender awn. 



This grass is not uncommon along the moist banks of streams, 

 and flowers in August. Flint says it is of no special value as an 

 agricultural grass, but it is claimed in the Southern States that it is 

 a good pasture grass. 



54. ELYMUS CANADENSIS, Linneus. 

 El'-y-mus Can-a-den-sis. 



PLATE XXVII. 



Common Names. Wild Rye, Canadian Lyme-Grass, Terrell 

 Grass. 



Perennial. Stems erect, from three to four feet high ; leaves 

 broadly linear ; spikes from five to nine inches long, nodding at the 

 top, on a long stem (peduncle.) Spikelets mostty in pairs, each of 

 which contains from three to five long-awned, rough flowers ; the 

 awl-shaped glumes are tipped with shorter awns. 



Grows along the banks of streams, and flowers in August. Not 

 common. Probably of no greater value than E. Virginicus. 



Specimens from the Indian Territory were analyzed in Washing- 

 ton, and gave ash 5.99, fat 3.71, nitrogen-free extract 50.78, crude 

 fiber 34.66, albuminoids 4.86. 



55. ELYMUS MOLLIS, Trinius. 



El'-y-mus moT-lis. 

 Common Name. Soft Lyme-Grass. 



PerenniaL Stems from three to five feet high, velvety at the 

 top ; spike thick, erect, eight inches long ; spikelets, two or three 



