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sessile, and profusely flowering to the base. The spikelets usually 

 contain about five flowers. The outer glumes are ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute, with whitish scarious margins, and scabrous on the keel. The 

 flowering glumes are longer, gradually sharp-pointed, and smooth, 

 except on the margins and midnerve, which are usually pubescent, 

 sometimes densely so. In many cases there is a remarkable devel- 

 opment of long, silky hairs at the base of each flower, but some- 

 times these are quite absent. 



7. P. Bigelovii, Vasey and Scribner. (P. annua, var. stricta, Vasey.) 



Texas to Arizona. 



8. P. Bolanderi, Vasey. California. 



9. P. brevifolia, Muhl. Pennsylvania and Virginia, sparingly west- 



ward. 



10. P. csesia, Srn. Maine to Oregon, and Rocky Mountains. 

 P. csesia, var. stricta, Gr. Maine to Rocky Mountains. 



11. P. Californica, Vasey. (Atropis Californica, Thurb.) Califor- 



nia, Oregon, Utah, &c. 



12. P. cenisia, All. (P.arctica, i?. ^Sr.) Rocky Mountains to Alaska. 



13. P. compressa, Linn. Introduced. English Blue grass, Wire 



grass. 



This species has sometimes been confounded with the Kentucky 

 blue grass, from which it differs in its flattened, decumbent, wiry 

 stems, its shorter leaves and shorter, narrower, and more scanty 

 panicle. It is found in many old pastures, on dry banks, and in 

 open woods. The culms are hard and much flattened, 1 foot to 18 

 inches long, more or less decumbent, and frequently bent at the 

 lower joints. The leaves are scanty, smooth, short, and of a dark 

 bluish-green color. The panicle is short and contracted, 1 to 3 

 inches long. Very contradictory accounts have been given as to its 

 agricultural value, some denouncing it as worthless and others en- 

 tertaining a good opinion of it. It thrives well on clay, or hard 

 trodden and poor soils. 



Hon. J. S. Gould says respecting it : 



It is certain that cows that feed upon it both in pasture and in hay give more 

 milk and keep in better condition than when fed on any other grass. Horses fed 

 on this hay will do as well as when fed on timothy hay and oats combined. 



These discrepant opinions may be due in part to having mistaken 

 the Poapratensis for this grass. It is probably a nutritious grass, 

 6 



