Illustrated Descriptions of the Grasses 



From Spreading Spear-grass (Puccinellia dtstans) Goose-grass 

 differs in that it rises from rootstocks and bears narrow panicles of 

 long spikelets. Spreading Spear-grass, on the other ^^j 

 hand, is tufted, without rootstocks, and opens wide 

 panicles of small, crowded spikelets. The latter 

 species is slightly stouter than Goose-grass, and 

 bears wider leaves. 



Goose-grass. Sea Spear-grass. Puccinellia 

 maritima (Huds.) Pari. 



Perennial, from rootstocks. 



Stem 8'-24' tall, slender, erect or spreading at base. Ligule 

 short. Leaves V-5' long, i" wide or less, flat or in- 

 volute. 



Panicle 2'-6' long, narrow, branches short. Spikelets 

 3-io-flowered, 3"-6" long, narrow. Outer scales un- 

 equal, obtuse or acute; flowering scales broad, obtuse, 

 nerves very obscure; palets nearly as long as flowering 

 scales. Stamens 3. 



Salt marshes and sea beaches. July and August. 



Labrador to New Jersey, also on the Pacific Coast. 



THE FESCUES 



SLENDER FESCUE, SHEEp's FESCUE, MEADOW FESCUE, 

 RED FESCUE, AND NODDING FESCUE 



"The grass-blade, like a long green ribbon, streams 

 from the sod into the summer, checked indeed by the 

 frost, but anon pushing on again, lifting its spear of last 

 year's hay with the fresh life below." 



When the beauty of the earliest grasses is pas- 1 

 sing the Fescues appear, and in the calendar of the \ 

 grasses mark the beginning of summer. For a short \ 

 time they take the primary position in the fields. \ 

 Slender Fescue and Sheep's Fescue are among the \1 

 first to bloom, and closely following the opening of | 

 their flowers the graceful stems of Meadow Fescue, | 

 abundant in pastures and meadows, are seen also | 

 by the wayside bending over ripening spikes of Sweet | 

 Vernal-grass. ' " 



Sheep's Fescue {Festuca ovina) and Slender 



slender 

 Festuca 



Fescue 

 octoflora 



217 



