Illustrated Descriptions of the Grasses 



phylla) are the earliest of the genus and are found in woods 

 from New York State southward. They bloom in March, when 

 the first arbutus opens, and are slender grasses, with loose panicles 

 which bear but a few green spikelets at the extremities of the 

 branches. 



Each flowering scale in the majority of the species of this genus 

 shows a small tuft of cobwebby hairs at the base, and under the 

 microscope this tuft forms a distinguishing feature by which the 

 grasses may be recognized. In Canada Blue-grass and Flexuous 

 Spear-grass the tufts are lacking, but the flowering scales are 

 downy below the middle. 



Low Spear-grass. Dwarf Meadow-grass. Pda dnnua L. 



Root annual. Naturalized from Europe. 



Stem 2'-i2' tall, erect or spreading, flattened. Sheaths loose. Ligule 

 about i" long. Leaves ^'-4' long, about i" wide, flat. 



Panicle ^'-4' long, pyramidal, open, often i -sided, branches short. Spike- 

 lets 3-6-flowered, about 2" long. Outer scales slightly unequal, ist 

 scale acute, 2nd scale obtuse; flowering scales obtuse, hairy at the 

 base. Stamens 3. 



Fields, waysides, and cultivated grounds. April to October. 



Throughout nearly the whole of North America. 



Kentucky Blue-grass. June Grass. Pda praiensis L. 



Perennial, with rootstocks. Naturalized in the Eastern States, in- 

 digenous elsewhere. 



Stem 8'-4 ft. tall, slender, erect. Ligule very short. Leaves i"-3" wide, 

 flat, stem leaves 2'-6' long, basal leaves much longer. 



Panicle 2'-8' long, pyramidal, open, branches slender, lower branches 

 4'-3' long. Spikelets 3-5-flowered, about 2" long, green or purplish. 

 Outer scales acute, unequal, roughish on keels; flowering scales acute, 

 webby at base, downy below on marginal nerves and mid-nerve; 

 palets nearly as long as flowering scales. Stamens 3, anthers often 

 deep purple. 



Waysides, fields, and meadows. May to August. 



Throughout nearly the whole of North America. 



False Red-Top. Fowl Meadow-grass. Pda trifldra Gilib. 



Perennial. 

 Stem 2-5 ft. tall, erect, rather slender. Ligule i"-2" long. Leaves 4'-io' 



long, I "-2" wide, flat. 



Panicle 6'- 12' long, branches rough, slender, divided and spikelet-bearing 



above the middle, lower branches 2'-^' long. Spikelets 2-5-flowered, 



I ^"-2" long, on short pedicels. Outer scales acute, slightly unequal; 



' flowering scales obtuse, webby at base, downy below on marginal 



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