156 THE GRASSES OF TENNESSEE. 



lands, and the rich, black, loamy woods in many parts of the 

 State are set with it. 



It is said to be an excellent butter -making grass, and 

 gives a particularly fine flavor to this article of food. It has 

 never, to the knowledge of the writer, been sown, though, 

 as it produces seed in a limited quantity, there is no reason 

 why it should not be if it is really a valuable grass. 



HAIR GRASS. (Muhlenbergm capillaris.) 



Another species of the same. Has spikelets, one-flowered in con- 

 tracted, slender panicles Glumes minute; palea hairy or bearded at 

 the base, herbaceous, the lower three nerved, pointed or nerved at the 

 tip; stamens, three 



These grasses, together with several not growing in the 

 State, were named from Dr. Muhlenberg, a distinguished 

 botanist, who gave them a name and description. 



The hair grass is a beautiful, graceful grass, and is often 

 sold by florists as an ornamental grass, and forms a feathery 

 addition to bouquets. It has no great agricultural value. 



BLACK OAT GRASS-PRAIRIE GRASS.-(^a avenacea.) 



Spikelets one-flowered; flowers stipitate, or borne on slender stalks; 

 glumes equal, membranaceous; pales longer than the glumes, thick and 

 leathery, the lower tipped with a very long awn; bent above and twisted 

 at the base; seed scale rounded or cylindrical, mfloresence in spreading 

 panicles. Perennial, 



This grass is found in the fence corners of most of our 

 fields, and, to some extent, in the woods in sandy places. It 

 resembles very much the black oat, and hence its name. 

 Cattle and sheep will eat it after it has seeded, but it is 

 not of much value. It grows on almost all of the prairies 

 of the Western States. It is often seen in vases as an orna- 

 mental plant. 



BERMUDA GRASS.--SCTTTCH GRASS.-(Cynodo dactylon.} 



Glumes nearly equal; spikes, four to five; pales smooth; stems smooth, 

 hollow, prostrate at the base, with four or five leares flat or folded, 



