GENERA OF GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



203 



ensis, P. phleoidcs, P. arundinacea, P. erucaeformis, and P. oryzoides. The 

 second species is now referred to Phleum, the fourth to Beckmannia, and 

 the fifth to Homalocenchrus. The first species is chosen as the type, be- 

 cause this is the one that best corresponds to the description of the genus 



in the Genera Plantarum 

 (e. g., gluma obtusa) and 

 is moreover the only one 

 of the five species men- 

 tioned above that was 

 known by the name of 

 Phalaris to the older au- 

 thors, such as Bauhin. 



Typhoides Moench, 

 Meth. 201. 1794. A single 

 species, T. arundinacea, 

 based on Phalaris arundi- 

 nacea L., is included. 



Digraphis Trin., Fund. 

 Agrost. 127. 1820. A 

 single species, D. arundi- 

 nacea, based on Phalaris 

 arundinacea L., is in- 

 cluded. 



Endallax Rat, Bull. Bot. Seringe 

 1: 220. 1830. Phalaris arundinacea 

 is the only species given. 



The most important species of 

 the genus in the United States is 

 Phalaris arundinacea L., reed 

 canary grass, a native perennial 

 found in wet ground in the 

 cooler parts of the Northern 

 Hemisphere. The inflorescence 

 is a rather loose spikelike panicle 

 2 to 6 inches long. It is an im- 

 portant constituent of lowland 

 hay in the region from Mon- 

 tana to Wisconsin. A vari- 

 ety (picta L.) with blades 

 striped with white is grown for 



ornament in gardens under the name of ribbon grass or gardener's 



garters. 



FIG. 121. Canary grass, 

 canariensis. Plant, X \ 

 and fertile floret with 

 sterile lemmas, X 5. 



Phalaris 

 ; spikelet 

 tbe two 



