46 THE DROP-SEED GRASSES, 



Drooping Reed Gn ass (Cinna pendula). — Branches 

 of the loose panicle long and hairy, drooping. Spike- 

 lets about half the size of those in the preceding 

 species. Grows in moist woods ; perennial, flowering in 

 August. Found around Lake Superior. 



10. MuHLENBERGiA. Drop^eed Grass. 



Spikelets one-flowered in contracted slender panicles. 

 Glumes minute; paleae usually hairy, bearded at the 

 base, herbaceous, the lower three-nerved, pointed, or 

 awned at the tip. Stamens three. Named from Dr. 

 Muhlenberg, a distinguished American botanist. 



TheAwNLESS Muhlenbergia {MuMenbergia sobolifera) 

 is sometimes found in open, rocky woods, from New 

 England to Michigan, and south. It grows from one to 

 two feet high, with a simple contracted panicle, very 

 slender ; glumes long, pointed, nearly equal ; root pe- 

 rennial, creeping, woody ; leaves pale-green, sheaths 

 open, ligule wanting. Flowers in August and Septem- 

 ber. Of no known agricultural value. 



Clustering Muhlenbergia (Muhlenbergia glomerata). 

 — From one to two feet high, stems upright, somewhat 

 branched; panicle oblong, linear, contracted into an 

 interrupted glomerate spike, with long peduncles, or 

 flower-stalks, and awned glumes; perennial. Flowers 

 in August and September. Common in swamps and 

 low grounds. Of no agricultural value. 



The Mexican Muhlenbergia {Muhlenbergia Mexi- 

 cana), another species of this genus, has been mistaken 

 by some for our fowl meadow. It has an erect stem, 

 two to three feet high, much branched ; panicles lateral 

 and contracted, branches densely spiked and clustered, 

 green or purplish; glumes pointed, awnless, and un- 

 equal. It is perennial. Flowers in August. Frequently 

 regarded as a troublesome weed in low grounds, the 



