NATIVE GBASSES OF KANSAS. 59 



38. White Gbass; Leersia Virginica, Willd. — This pale-green grass grows in moist 

 or wet places, has decumbent stems, leaves rough upward, a simple panicle, narrowly 

 oblong spikelets (1+ lines long) and 2 stamens. Sometimes cut for hay, but unim- 

 portant. 



39. Cut-gbass; White Gbass; False Rice; Leersia oryzoides, Swz. — Like the 

 preceding, but panicle branched and larger (1 foot long), spikelets larger (2^ to 3 

 lines long), and stamens 3. Grows in very wet places. 



40. Fly-catch Gbass; White Gbass; Leersia lenticularis, Mx. — Differs from the 

 2 preceding in having broadly oval spikelets (2^ to 3 lines long). Stamens 2. Grows 

 in low ground, but very rare. 



Phalaris, L.— A small genus, one species furnishing the canary-seed of commerce, otherwise un- 

 important. The spikelets are one-flowered, compressed and densely crowded in an ovoid or cylindrical 

 spike, or on the densely flowered branches of a panicle. The outer glumes are acute, boat-shaped, be- 

 coming coriaceous or cartilaginous. Within these are the two flowering glumes, sometimes called palets. 

 Below the flower is one or sometimes two small scales or bristles, which are considered abortive glumes. 



41. Canaby Gbass; Phalaris Canariensis, L. — An introduced annual, 1 to 2 feet 

 high, with a panicle that is spike-like and oval. It furnishes the canary-seed of 

 commerce. 



42. Southebn Reed-Canaby-gbass: Gilbebt's Relief-gbass; Stewabt's Canaby- 

 gbass; Califobnia Timothy; Phalaris intermedia, Bosc. — This species resembles 

 the preceding, but is taller and more robust, 1 to 3 feet high, erect, with broad, linear 

 leaves 4 to 10 inches long. The spike is oblong or oval, compact, \ to \\ inches 

 long. In the variety angustata, Chapm., the spike is cylindrical, 2 to 4 inches long, 

 somewhat interrupted at base. This grass has been reported in southeastern Kansas; 

 it is abundant in the Southern and Southwestern States, and regarded there as very 

 valuable for hay and as a winter grass. 



43. Reed Canaby-gbass; Phalaris arundinacea, L. — A perennial grass, 2 to 5 

 feet high, growing in low or wet ground. It has a panicle 2 to 4 inches long, narrow 

 and spike-like — the branches slightly spreading when in flower. It is not known to 

 be a useful grass. ( Plate No. 43.) 



An'thoxantiium, L.— A very small genus of grasses with a somewhat spiked panicle. The spikelets 

 are 1-flowered, with two pairs of empty glumes. The first or lowest glume is half as long as the sec- 

 ond: the third and fourth (second pair) are much shorter, thin, two-lobed, pubescent, and awned on 

 the back; the fifth and sixth glumes are still smaller, the fifth being broad and 3-nerved, and the sixth 

 narrow, hyaline, and 1-nerved. 



44. Sweet Vebnae-gbass; Anthoxanthum odoratum, L. — The culms are a foot 

 or 18 inches high, the panicle 2 or 3 inches long, narrow and close, but expanding 

 during flowering-time. It is a fragrant perennial grass, naturalized from Europe, 

 and sometimes used as a lawn grass; occasionally found in meadows in Eastern 

 States. It grows thinly on the ground, has few leaves, and is therefore not valuable 

 for hay. 



Aristida, L.— This genus contains many species, but they are mostly annuals, and of little value. 

 The panicle is spike-like or open and branching. The spikelets are 1-flowered, and generally have 

 filiform pedicels. The outer glumes are unequal, and often bristle pointed. The flowering glume is 

 narrow, rolled around the flower and terminated with a triple awn, or apparently 3 awns. The palet 

 is small and thin. 



45. Tbiple-awned Gbass; Aristida ramosissima, Engl. — The culms are diffusely 

 much branched. The outer glumes are 9 or 10 lines long. The middle awn is 1 inch 

 long, and soon abruptly hooked-recurved; the lateral ones are hardly 2 lines long. 

 This (worthless) grass occurs in Missouri, and may be found in southeastern Kansas. 



46. Beabd Gbass; Thbee-awned Gbass; Aristida dichotoma, Mx. — A low branch- 

 ing grass. The outer glumes are 3 or 4 lines long. The lateral awns are small. 



