WEED GRASSES. 



39 



green leaves. These have 

 almost the ' ' Poa ' ' shape 

 described on p. 22, and 

 are very palatable to 

 cattle, which will often 

 wade up to their girths 

 to reach them. The 

 heads bear a few 

 sausage-shapedspikelets. 

 Regarded as choking up 

 water- courses this grass 

 is a weed ; where the 

 free flow of the stream 

 is not important it is 

 a valuable volunteer 

 (V. p. 31.) 



(9) Annual Poa {Poa 

 annua). — A small annual 



grass growing 6 or 8 inches high. It has a distinct poa blade 

 with many of the leaves transversely crinkled. The heads are 

 sometimes feathery. This is perhaps the commonest weed 

 grass occurring in gateways and by roadsides, and also 

 occupying bare spaces in pasture land and lawns. It is 

 much liked by stock and is a valuable volunteer. It is 

 never sown owing to its very short life, which may, at the 

 height of summer, be over in six or eight weeks from the 

 germination of the seed. Its commonness is accounted for 

 by its prohfic seeding practically aU the year round. In 

 winter time it may often be found providing feed for sparrows 

 and goldfinches. 



(10) Ratstall {Sporobolus indicus). — A perennial, growing 

 almost as a native from Marlborough northwards : sheath 

 slightly compressed ; ligule reduced to a ring of hairs ; 

 blade tough, finely ribbed, somewhat downwards rough. 



Fig. 21. — ^Bromis eterilis 

 (after Fream). 



