THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 25 



This grass grows in wet grounds and moist woods, and flowers in 

 August. 



Flint says that cattle eat it very readily, and as it blossoms late 

 in the season it is of some value, though it is frequently regarded as 

 a troublesome weed because of its spreading root-stocks and difficult 

 removal. 



The analysis of this grass made in Washington, of specimens from 

 Pennsylvania, gave ash 4.33, fat 2.69, nitrogen-free extract 65.47, 

 crude fiber 22.69, albuminoids 4.82. 



14. Muhlenbergia sylvatica, Torrey and Gray. 

 Mu-len-ber'-gi-a syl-vaf-i-ca. 



PLATE VIII. 



Common Names. Wood Grass, Wood Muhlenbergia. 



Stems ascending, much branched, growing from two to four feet 

 high. Panicles contracted, many-flowered ; glumes nearly equal in 

 length, bristle-pointed ; flowering glume with an awn from the tip 

 two or three times as long as the spikelet. 



Grows in drier places than the preceding, and flowers in August 

 or September. 



Genus Brachyelytrum, Beauvois. 



Bracli-y-e-ly -trum. 



Derived from the Greek, brachys, short, and elytron, a covering; 

 in allusion to the short glumes. Spikelets one-flowered, with a con- 

 spicuous club-shaped body half as long as the palea arising on one 

 side. Glumes very small, unequal in length, the lower almost obso- 

 lete ; flowering glume five-nerved and ending in an awn which is 

 twice as long as the flower ; palea equal to the flowering glume in 

 length. Stamens two. 



15. Brachyelytrum aristatum, Beauvois. 

 Brach-y-e-ly' -t rum a-ris-ta-tuui. 



Common Names. Awned Brachyelytrum. 



Stem simple, from two to three feet high, clothed with fine hair 

 about the joints ; leaves six inches long and from four to six lines 

 wide, somewhat hairy. Panicle erect. 



Common in rockv woods. Flowers in June and Julv. 



