148 



FINGER-SPIKED WOOD GRASS. 



in a panicle, and clothed with long, silky hairs. Stamens 

 one to three. Grain free. 



WOOLLY BEARD GRASS (Erianthus alopecuroides) is 

 found on the wet pine barrens of New Jersey, in 

 Illinois, and at the South. It grows from four to six 

 feet high ; woolly-bearded at the joints ; panicle con- 

 tracted ; silky hairs longer than the spikelets. 



SHORT-AWNED WOOLLY BEARD (Erianthus brevibarbis) 

 is also found on low grounds, in Virginia and southward, 

 growing from two to five feet high, and somewhat 

 bearded at the upper joints. Panicle rather open. 



64. ANDROPOGON. 



Spikelets much the same as in 

 the preceding genus, bearing a 

 neuter or staminate lower flower ; 

 glumes and paleae often wanting ; 

 upper flower perfect ; glumes awn- 

 less ; lower palea awned. Flowers 

 in panicles and spikes. Most of 

 these grasses are coarse and hard 

 perennials, having lateral or term- 

 inal spikes, commonly clustered 

 or digitate, with the rachis hairy 

 or feathery-bearded. 



FINGER-SPIKED WOOD GRASS (An- 

 dropogon furcatus) grows about 

 four feet high ; leaves nearly 

 smooth ; spikes digitate, or general- 

 ly by threes and fours j lower 

 flower awnless; the spikelets rough- 

 ish, downy ; the awn bent. Flowers 

 Fig. 124. j n September. A spike of this grass 

 is shown in Fig. 124, a part of it enlarged in Fig. 125, 

 its pistil in Fig. 126, its glumes in Fig. 127. It is com- 

 mon on sterile soils, rocky banks, and hill-sides. 



Fig. 125. 



