104 HOLCUa MOLIJS. T... rRFEPINO SOFT OR ASS. 



wlioii griHMi or in luiy, luMiig too soft, sponj,'}-, ami insipid. It itr 

 uliiiost 11 wued, teiidinjjf to usurp tlio laud, and is oiio of the fow 

 poor grasses which is not rtMluc(*d luit int^roasod by manuring a 

 meadow [of mixed spocnes]. The seed sliouUl bo earefully 

 exehuled." 



Dr. Phares says: "It lias lu-eu introduced into Texas, and 

 eojistitutes nine-tenths of all the so-called mesquit grass j)lanted 

 in the Southern States. It grows miu'li larger than in the Kastern 

 States or in JjUgland ; and it seems too, to be more valuable and 

 greatly improve<l here. It grows two to four feet high iti the 

 South." 



HolciiM mollis, L., Creepiiif? Soft iirass. — This much resem- 

 bles the former grass, but is not so common. In (h*eat Britain 

 the ereejiing habit nuikes it very troublesouje. The nodes are 

 villous, awn intlexed, exserted. Much like J[. hfU(tfu.s, but 

 usually more slender. 



cYNosrurs, l. 



Spikelets dimorphous, fascicled in a dense one-sided s])ike-like 

 panicle; the terminal fascicle 3-3 Hd., flowers perfect, the lower 

 consisting of l-:i neutral flowers. Kachilla of the fertile spikelet 

 usually jointed above the lower glumes. The empty glumes 

 linear, lanceolate, acute or short awned. Floral glumes broader, 

 membranous, 1-3-nerved, mucronate or awned at the apex or on 

 the back. The terminal one mirrower, empty, inclosing a stam- 

 inate flower, or reduced to an awn. Glumes of the sterile spike- 

 lets distichous, pectinate, all empty, sub-equal, linear, subulate, 

 1-nerved; rachilla continuous. Palea of the fertile flower nar- 

 row, 2-toothed. Lodicules with a basal lobe. Stamens 3. Styles 

 distinct, short, stigmas plumose. Caryopsis oblong or elliptical, 

 included by the glume and palea and adherent. Tufted annuals 

 or perennials with flat leaves. The sterile spikelets form an invo- 

 lucre to the fertile one. 



