224 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 

 54. INDIAN-GRASS; WOOD-GRASS 



SORGHASTRUM NUTANS (L.) Nash 



This tall handsome but rather coarse grass grows in scattered 

 clumps in rather open places about the lake. The oat-like appear- 

 ance of the panicle, and the bright shining yellow of the transpar- 

 ent glumes through which the stamens show, make it an easily rec- 

 ognizable and attractive grass. In our area it never forms con- 

 tinuous patches. 



55. SLENDER FINGER- OR CRAB-GRASS 



SYNTHERISMA FILIFORME (L.) Nash 



Rather common in dry sandy soil but not so conspicuous as the 

 next on account of its small size. It flowers in August and Sep- 

 tember. 



56. LARGE CRAB-GRASS 



SYNTHERISMA SANGUINALE (L.) Dulac. 



Too common in cultivated fields about the lake. It is not 

 troublesome in cornfields and meadows, but in low cultivated crops 

 such as gardens, and particularly in potato fields, the wiry "prostrate 

 stems which root at the nodes soon form a very tough compact sod, 

 difficult to remove from the soil. It begins blossoming late in 

 summer, and continues putting out spikes of blossoms until killed 

 by frost. 



57. BARNYARD GRASS; COCKSPUR-GRASS 



ECHINOCHLOA CRUS-GALLI (L.) Beauv. 



This is a well-known grass throughout the state, usually quite 

 common in rich moist ground. Its favorite habitat is the flat 

 marshy shores of rivers and creeks, and the corners of neg- 

 lected barnyards where the seepage from manure piles keeps the 

 ground moist. In the vicinity of Lake Maxinkuckee this plant is 

 confined mostly to a narrow belt along shore where it is one of the 

 most common of the beach plants. Very little is found any 

 distance from the lake on account of the dry sandy nature of the 

 soil. 



The Cockspur Grass never covers extensive areas, even over flat 

 moist places, but prefers narrow edges along streams. In favor- 

 able situations it forms a very leafy rank growth and would prob- 

 ably furnish considerable forage or hay. An enterprising western 

 seedsman boomed it extensively as "Billion dollar grass", a new and 

 wonderful "introduction from Japan", but the boom seems to have 



