GRASSES OF MINOR IMPORTANCE 105 



abruptly pointed leaves and a flat spike in which the 

 spikelets are imbedded. The flower stalks are usually 

 only a few inches to a foot high. The foliage somewhat 

 resembles that of carpet grass; To establish a lawn, 

 the cuttings of the runners are set out. St. Augustine 

 grass is a native of the Coast region of the warmer parts 

 of America. The botanical name is Stenotaphrum secun- 

 datum (Walt.) Kuntze. 



CARPET GRASS 



Carpet grass is used for pasture in the alluvial bottom- 

 lands of the Southern States especially near the coast 

 from Georgia and Florida to Louisiana. On dry sandy 

 land or on the drier uplands it does not compete with 

 Bermuda grass but attains its maximum growth on moist 

 mucky or sandy soil along the Gulf Coast. 



Carpet grass is a creeping perennial forming long 

 runners which throw up flowering stems 6 to 20 inches 

 high. The blades are comparatively short, the margins 

 parallel, the apex abruptly pointed. The stems and 

 sheaths are flattened. The inflorescence consists of 3 or 4 

 slender spikes clustered at the summit of the stems. 



The species is a native of tropical America and is 

 abundant from 'Brazil, through the West Indies to the 

 Southern United States. It withstands grazing and 

 trampling and tends to occupy open moist alluvial soil. 

 These qualities eminently fit it for a pasture grass. It 

 can be started by planting cuttings. These grow rapidly 

 and soon occupy the land. 



Carpet grass is much used near the coast as a lawn 

 grass, for which purpose it is well suited. 



