NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 147 



GENUS PHALARIS. 



Its glumes are two, membranaceous, equal, keeled and one 

 flowered ; paleae coriaceous, shorter than the glumes and jni- 

 besent at base ; flowers in compound spikes, 



PHALARIS ARUNDINACEA. REED CANARY GRASS. 



It has a round stem which is smooth and erect, with five 

 or six broad leaves of a lightish green, and rough on both 

 sides. The central rib is prominent. It grows on wet ground, 

 and attains a height of from two to seven feet. The ribbon 

 grass is a variety of this species. The P. arundinacea is 

 scarcely worth cultivating for its fodder ; its yield, however, 

 during the season is quite large, but cattle are not fond of it, 

 even when cut early and well cured. They eat it from ne- 

 cessity, when nothing better is furnished them. It ranks low 

 in the nutritive scale. Phalaris canariensis is cultivated for 

 its seed for the Canary bird. 



ANTHOXANTHUM. 



Its glumes are from two to three flowered ; lateral florets 

 imperfect, with one paleae, bearded ; intermediate florets per- 

 fect, shorter than the latteral ones. PALEAE OBTUSE, PANICLE 



CONTRACTED. 



