THE GENERA AND THEIR SPECIES. 



95 



Digr aphis. Plate iv. PHALARIDE/E. 



12. avundinacea 48 in. Reed Grass. Panicle rosy or purple. 



Sandy watersides, ranging throughout the Northern Hemi- 

 sphere. July and August. Root perennial, tufted, with strong 

 horizontal shoots becoming vertical. Stem erect, round, purplish 

 at the nodes. Leaves lanceolate, rather broad, flat, ribbed, 

 keeled, rough. Sheaths with edges overlapping, slightly tumid ; 

 ligule membranous, blunt, and decurrent. Panicle erect, branched, 

 spreading, lobed, branches angular. Spikelets crowded, numer- 

 ous, leaning to one side, greenish. Glumes four, lower pair 

 not winged, nearly equal, keeled, rough, awnless. Outer palea 

 ovate - lanceolate, smooth, glossy, 

 ribless, awnless, fringed with long 

 hairs, closely adherent to grain ; 

 inner palea shorter than outer. 

 Stigmas filiform, protruding from 

 apex of spikelet. Grain long and 

 dark grey. 



The broad leaves and reedy 

 stems are of some nutritive value, 

 but, except when young, too coarse 

 for cattle. In places it is cut and 

 yields a good aftermath. In other 

 places it is sown in marsh-land for 

 the purpose of drying it, and effects 

 this purpose so well that in four or five years it has converted 

 a swampy waste into a fertile meadow. It does better on 

 tenacious clay than on rich sandy loam. The striped variety is 

 the Canary Grass of the garden. 



Digraph is anindinacca . 

 Spikelet. For Floret see p. 63. 



Elymus. Plate xvi. HORDED. 



51. arenarius 48 in. Lyme Grass. Two spikelets in each 



notch ; leaves broad. 



Sandy shores of the Northern Hemisphere. July and August. 



Root perennial, widely creeping, strong. Stem erect from 



roundish tufts, reedy, striated at base. Leaves broad, long, 



