NATIVE GBASSES OF KANSAS. 61 



high, the panicle simple or sparingly branched, and the awn three times the length 

 of the blackish flowering glumes. Not known to be valuable. 



Muhlenbergia, Schreb. — A large genus, mostly American species, and usually perennial. It has 

 small one-flowered spikelets, generally in open panicles. The outer glumes are variable in size, some- 

 times bristle-pointed, keeled, persistent, thin. The flowering glume is 3 to 5-nerved, pointed or awned . 

 and frequently pubescent below. The palet is about as long as the flowering glume, and of similar 

 texture. 



57. Muhlenbergia; Muhlenbergia sobolifera, Trin. — The culms in this and the 

 following species are from 1 to 3 (or even 4) feet high. They are to be separated 

 with certainty only by an inspection of the glumes and palet, as well as the panicle. 

 In this species the panicle is simple, contracted and very slender or filiform. The 

 outer glumes are barely pointed. Not known to be a useful grass. 



58. Spiked Muhlenbergia; Muhlenbergia glomerata, Trin. — The panicle is ob- 

 long-linear and contracted into an interrupted glomerate spike. The outer glumes 

 have a bristle or awn of about their own length. This species grows in wet or moist 

 places, and is utilized to some extent for hay. (Plate No. 58.) 



59. Wood Gbass; Mexican Muhlenbergia; Muhlenbergia Mexicana, Trin. — A 

 very much branching grass. The panicles are lateral and terminal, narrow, usually 2 

 or 3 inches long, and composed of 5 to 10 spike-like branches. The glumes are acute 

 or abruptly short-pointed. In the variety filiformis (Muhl.) the panicles are more 

 slender. It grows in low places, and yields considerable forage. (Plate No. 59.) 



60. Wood Grass; Muhlenbergia sylvatica, T. & G. — Much like the last, but the 

 panicle is looser, and the flowering glume bears an awn 2 or 3 times longer than 

 itself. It grows in drier places than the last, and is of equal value. 



61. Wooly-seeded Muhlenbergia; Muhlenbergia comata, Benth. — Closely re- 

 lated to the last species, but has a soft panicle, generally of a purplish lead color, 

 and a surrounding tuft of hairs at the base of the flowering glume. Grows only in 

 the West, and said to be a promising grass. 



62. W'illdenow's Muhlenbergia; Muhlenbergia Willdenovii, Trin. — The culms 

 are simple or sparingly branched. The contracted panicle is slender and loosely 

 flowered. The outer glumes are half the length of the flowering one, which bears 

 an awn 3 or 4 times the length of the spikelet. Contributes somewhat to the native 

 forage. 



63. Nimble Will; Wire Grass; Muhlenbergia diffusa, Schr. — This is low and 

 much branched, and bears slender panicles loosely many-flowered. The outer 

 glumes are extremely minute, and the flowering glume little more than a line long 

 and tipped with a fine awn or beard once or twice its own length. Grows in pro- 

 tected places, and furnishes a valuable portion of the native forage. 



64. Hair Grass; Muhlenbergia capillaris, Kunth. — This differs from all the 

 preceding species in having a very loose and open ( purplish) panicle (6 to 20 inches 

 long) with long and capillary branches. The pedicels are 1 to 2 inches long and 

 scarcely thicker than the awns, which are an inch long. Not known to be a valuable 

 grass. 



Brachyelytrum, Beauv.— A very small genus having one species and one variety in this country, 

 both perennial. The panicle is simple and racemose; the spikelets have one flower and a sterile rudi- 

 ment; the outer glumes are minute, persistent, unequal, the upper larger and about a half-line long. 

 The flowering glume is chartaceous, ending in an awn 8 or 10 lines long. The palet is hyaline, 2-keeled, 

 and bifid at the apex; the rudiment is bristle-like, half as long as the palet and partly lodged in the 

 groove on its back. 



65. Short-glumed Grass; Brachyelytrum aristatum, Beauv. — A perennial grasa, 

 with stems 1 to 3 feet high from creeping root-stocks; downy sheaths, and broad, 

 flat leaves. Not known to be valuable. 



