276 



SWEET VERNAL GRASS. 



The Name. Ddctylis glomerata (Dactylis, fingers, glo- 

 merata, crowded), is the significant title. 



Scientific Terms. Carinate. Ciliate. Secund. Scabrous. 



LXXIV. SWEET VERNAL GRASS. 



The Sweet Vernal 

 Grass begins to flower a 

 few days earlier than 

 Spear-grass, in the same 

 situations. The analy- 

 sis of its root, culm, 

 leaves and inflorescence 

 may be conducted as in 

 that plant, searching for 

 differences as well as 

 analogies. 



Analysis. -The leaf- 

 blade and sheath are 

 very short, while the 

 internode is very long. 

 The ligule is conspicu- 

 ous. The panicle is con- 

 tracted to the form of a loose spike 

 or raceme. 



The Spifce2et is 3-4" long. It 

 consists, 1st, of 2 glumes, the lower 

 twice longer than the upper ; 2d, 

 of ciliated pales supposed to be 2 

 rudimentary flowers, each bearing 

 an awn on its back ; 3d, one per- 

 fect flower situated between the 2 

 rudiments, that is, terminal. 



FIG. LXXIV. Anthoxanthum 



