Illustrated Descriptions of the Grasses 



spread slightly from the spike-like purple panicle; the plant is 

 usually larger than either of the preceding species and bears 

 longer leaves. The awns of Sea-beach Aristida (Aristida tuber- 

 culosa) are of nearly equal length and are united at their base 

 for one quarter of an inch or more. The panicles of this grass 

 are few-flowered, and the awns are widely spreading or even 

 reflexed. 



The several species of eastern Aristidas are locally known as 

 Poverty Grasses, from their appearing most frequently on waste 

 land and on soil that is too poor to support a richer vegetation. 

 Many species are common in the West and Southwest, where, 

 among others, is found the well-named Needle-grass, whose triple 

 awns sometimes attain a length of four inches. 



Slender Aristida. Aristida grdcilis Ell. 

 Annual. 



Stem 6'-24' tall, slender, erect, often branched. Ligule very short. 

 Leaves bristle-like, i'-^' long, hardly i" wide. 



Spike-like Panicle ^-y' long, slender, not densely flowered. Spikelets 

 i-flowered, narrow, about 3" long. Scales 3, narrow, outer scales 

 nearly equal, awn-pointed; flowering scale bearing 3 awns, middle 

 awn horizontal, y'-g" long, lateral awns erect, i"-4" long. Stamens 3. 



Dry and sandy soil. August and September. 



Massachusetts to Nebraska, south to Florida and Texas. 



Purplish Aristida. Aristida purpurdscens Poir. 



Perennial. 

 Stem 1-3 ft. tall, slender, erect. Ligule very short. Leaves long and 



narrow, sometimes involute, 4'-io' long, about i" wide. 

 Spike-like Panicle 6'-i8' long, slender. Spikelets i-flowered, 3"-^" 



long, narrow, purplish. Scales 3, narrow; outer scales unequal; 



flowering scale bearing 3 awns, middle awn horizontal, about i' long, 



lateral awns slightly shorter, erect or spreading. Stamens 3. 

 Dry and sandy soil, and in dry woods. August to October. 

 iVlassachusetts to IVlinnesota, south to Florida and Texas. 



THE MUHLENBERGIAS 



WOOD MUHLENBERGIA, ROCK MUHLENBERGIA, MARSH MUHLEN- 



BERGIA, MEADOW MUHLENBERGIA, NIMBLE WILL. AND 



LONG-AWNED HAIR-GRASS 



With one exception the common species of this genus are un- 

 attractive grasses, which, although they add the verdure of their 

 leaves to waysides and to country dooryards, bear but incon- 



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