232 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



feathery stigmas ; stem or culm cylindrical, hollow, except at 

 the joints ; leaves alternate, with a divided or split sheath. 



Of the plants of this order, 121 species, under 46 genera, are 

 credited to Massachusetts in the u Geology " of the State, by 

 Professor Hitchcock. These are more than one third of all the 

 grasses then known to be growing in North America. The origi- 

 nal genera of the grasses have been greatly cut up and divided, 

 partly from a more careful examination of the characters and 

 habits of the plants, and in part from imaginary, or unessential, or 

 artificial characters. The species credited to this State are 

 correct, and few published additions have been made to them. 

 Many of the cultivated grasses, however, were not introduced into 

 the Catalogue in the " Geology." 



Agrostis. L. 3. 2. Bent-grass. 



Glume naked, 2-valved, 1 -flowered, with the valves longer 

 than the 2 membranous palese or interior chaff, which enclose a 

 single seed. 



Named from the Greek for field, and hence applied by the 

 Greeks to most grasses, on account of the place of growth. 



A. vulgaris. L. The well-known Red-top. 



A. alba. L. The White-top Grass. This and the preceding 

 have been introduced from Europe ; but the former is spread over 

 hill and dale, in pastures and meadows, being one of those most 

 extensively diffused. The fine green sward or turf of New Eng- 

 land, is greatly composed of this grass, as it forms the beautiful 

 green carpet spread in spring and autumn over the alluvial 

 meadows. The White-top is far less abundant than the other. 

 Both are to be added to the 10 species in the " Geology." The 

 former grows with great closeness, so that it yields a large swath 

 in the meadows, though it is not a tall grass. It throws out abun- 

 dance of leaves from the roots and along the lower part of the 

 culm, and forms an excellent hay for cattle, but is too fine a grass 

 for horses. It is often called English Grass. 



The Fiorin Grass, so highly commended in Ireland, seems to 

 be only a variety of A. alba. In England, it has not succeeded 



