160 NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



It has an erect, terete, glabrous stem, with setaceous leaves 

 and a diffuse panicle, whose branches are somewhat verticil- 

 late ; glumes unequal ; palese equal, exterior one pubescent 

 at base, and bearing also an awn. The grain is oblong and 

 smooth. It flowers in August and September. Figure taken 

 from the grass when in fruit. In high dry pastures, it grow? 

 remarkably well, and is eaten freely by sheep. It is poor \r. 

 nitrogen, and is worth nothing for cultivation. 



TRIBE VIII. FESTUCINEAE. 



Spikelets two to many flowered ; panicles sometimes race- 

 mose, and generally without awns. 



POA. (MEADOW GRASS.) 



The poas have two glumes, and usually many flowered, 

 ^pikelets compressed ; paleae sometimes woolly at base; scales 

 Mn-v>ih ; panicle more or less branching or scattered. 



J\ 



-- 



TOA COMPRESSA BLUE-GRASS WIRE-GRASS. 



Stem decumbent and compressed, ascending and surmount- 

 ed with a dense compressed panicle, somewhat onesided, and 

 provided with short bluish green linear leaves. Spikelets 

 flat ovate oblong, and from four to nine flowered, which are 

 rather obtuse, and hairy below the keel. It rarely exceeds 

 14: inches in height. It has a creeping root and a geniculate 

 stem, and much compressed, and under favorable conditions 

 grows to the height of 17 or 18 inches. 



The blue grass varies much in its appearance. On dry soils 

 it grows m tufts with rigid culmlike or wiry stems ; it is also 

 short, and has small compressed panicles, and the whole plant 

 lias a bluish green color. It is solid and heavy, and also te- 

 naceous of life as might be suspected from its growth upon 

 very dry knowles, and in wheat fields is frequently regarded 

 as a pest. It is, how r ever, a very nutritious grass, and is eaten 

 freely by stock. It is valuable as a pasture grass. 



