OTHER ECONOMIC GRASSES 1 55 



purpose they are often artificially colored. Pampas 

 grass is grown on a commercial scale in southern Cali- 

 fornia, the plumes being supplied to the trade. Also 

 known as Gynerium argenteum Nees. 



Giant Reed {Arundo Donax L.). — This very large grass 

 is grown only in the warmer portions of the United 

 States. The stems may grow to the height of lo or 12 

 feet or even more. The leaves are broad like those of 

 corn, being on the main stems 2 or 3 inches wide and a 

 foot or two long. The base is broad and partly clasping 

 and at the juncture of the sheath and blade presents a 

 lighter colored zone of a somewhat cartilaginous texture. 

 The leaves are distributed rather evenly along the stem 

 in two distinct rows. The large panicle is a plume a foot 

 or two long. 



Fountain Grass (Pennisetum Ruppelii Steud.). — This 

 is becoming rather common in the parks of our large 

 cities. It is a slender perennial 2 or 3 feet tall, with a 

 pink or purple feathery head, 4 to 8 inches long. Foun- 

 tain grass is used as a border plant or as a zone around 

 the base of a group of larger plants. 



Bamboos. — Bamboos are grown for ornament in the 

 parks and residential grounds in California and in the 

 East from Florida to Maryland. With their slender 

 branches and feathery foliage they form graceful clusters. 

 The leaves are broad in proportion to their length and 

 are narrowed at the base into a short stalk or petiole. 

 The blades are usually not more than 3 to 6 inches long 

 and half an inch wide. The species most commonly 

 cultivated are Arundinaria japonica Sieb. & Zucc. with 

 round (cylindric) branchlets, and species of Phyllo- 



