THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 17 



1. Leersia oryzoides, Swartz. 

 Le-er'-si-a o-ry-zoi'-des. 



Common Names. Rice Cut-Grass, White Grass, Cut Grass, 

 False Rice, Prickle Grass. 



Perennial. The stems are from two to four feet high, reclining 

 on the ground but rising near the top (decumbent) ; leaves from 

 two to three lines wide, frequently a foot or more long, verj* rough 

 with minute prickles along the edges and veins, while the sheaths 

 have the prickles arising from between the veins ; joints (nodes) 

 densely covered with bristly hairs ; panicles loosely branched, the 

 lower part often covered by the sheath of the upper leaf. Spikelets 

 somewhat spreading, flattened, from two and a half to three lines 

 long and of a whitish color. Flowers in August and September. 



This grass is common in wet places, but is not regarded of much 

 value, yet cattle will eat it when they can get nothing better. 

 From all accounts of its value it would seem desirable to raise some 

 other grass in its place. I am not aware that any analysis has been 

 made of it, or that it has been subjected to any accurate feeding 

 tests. 



Genus Alopecurus, Linneus. 



Al-o-pe-cu'-rus. 



From the Greek, alopex, a fox, and oura, a tail ; in allusion to 

 the form of the spike. 



The flowers are arranged in a dense, cylindrical and soft spike. 

 Spikelets one-flowered ; glumes nearly equal, boat-shaped, keeled 

 and without awns ; flowering glume with an awn which arises below 

 the middle of the back ; palea wanting ; stamens three. Two spe- 

 cies belonging to this genus are known to occur in Maine. 



2. Alopecurus pratensis, Linneus. 



Al-o-pe-cu'-rus jira-ten'-sis. 



PLATE I. 



Common Names. Meadow Foxtail, Common Foxtail Grass. 



Perennial. The stems are erect and smooth, about two feet high, 

 but in rich soil they sometimes reach three feet or even more. 

 Leaves smooth and flat, the upper one shorter than its inflated 



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