TiiK Grahhks of Tknnksskk. In.-, 



plumoi-e. Grain oblong, finally adherent to the palea. Annual or 

 perennial, cespitose grasses with flat leaves. 



Species four or five, in the north temperate rep^ions of the r)ld 

 World. 



I. Cynosurus cristatus Linn. Crested Do^'.s-tail. 



A slender, erect perennial one to two and a half feet high, with 

 narrow leaves and a rather slender, erect, spike-like panicle. Flow- 

 ering glumes scabrous in the upper part, mucronate pointed. 



This is a grass recently introduced into this country from 

 Europe, where it is used in mixtures to form bottom grass either 

 in meadows or in pastures. It possesses a highly nutritive value, 

 and succeeds well in almost any kind of soil excepting those 

 which are very sandy, and as it is deep rooted, it withstands 

 drought better than some other species, and is said to thrive well 

 in shade. It has some value in lawn mixtures. 



54. POA Linn. Sp. PI. 67 (1753O 



Spikelets two- to six flowered, the uppermost flower imperfect 

 or rudimentary, rachilla articulated above the empty glumes. 

 Empty glumes herbaceous, lanceolate or ovate, one- to three- 

 nerved, keeled, persistent. Flowering glumes herbaceous or 

 membranaceous, lanceolate or ovate, acute or obtuse, awnless, five- 

 nerved, carinate, falling with the two-keeled palea and a joint of 

 the rachilla; the dorsal or marginal nerves usually soft-hairy, and 

 often with a tuft of long, cobwebby hairs at the base. Stamens 

 three. Styles distinct; stigmas plumose. Inflorescence paniculate, 

 the branches more or less spreading. 



Species about one hundred, in both hemispheres, chiefly in the 

 temperate and cooler regions, and on the high mountains of the 

 tropics. North American species about sixty, seven of which are 

 natives of the State. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



I. Annuals, 3 to 10 inches high, roots strictly fibrous .... 2 



1. Perennials, 6 inches to 3 feet high, with a more or less 



manifest root-stock 3 



2. Flowering glume apparently only 3-nerved and with a tuft 



of long cobwebby hairs at base . . 2. P. Chap.m.-vniana. 



2. Flowering glume distinctly 5-nerved, not webbed at base . 



I. P. AXNLA. 



3. Radical leaves much shorter than the culm 4 



3. Radical leaves nearly equalling or exceeding the culm . . to 



4. Culms strongly flattened from a creeping root-stock, panicle 



I to 3 inches long, narrow, spikelets usually crowded, 

 flowering glumes but slightly compressed, rather rigid 



and obscurely nerved 3- P- compressa. 



(a) Low (6 to 13 inches) panicle dense, flowering 

 glumes naked or with only a scanty web at the 

 base, the indistinct dorsal and marginal nerv^es 

 nearly or quite smooth . . var. a. compressa. 



