IDENTIFICATION OF GRASSES. 



11 



Yard-grass (Eleusine indica; fig. 9). 



A tufted annual, decumbent at base; leaves folded in the bud; collar 

 broad, continuous, hairy ; auricles none ; ligule membranous, medium long, 

 coarsely toothed; sheaths white near the ground, green above, strongly 

 compressed, sparsely hairy along the margins ; blades V-shaped in cross 

 section, about one-fourth inch wide, sparsely hairy above, tough in texture, 

 linear, obtuse pointed. 



This is a common summer grass, making conspicuous tufts in lawns. 



Crested dog's-tail grass {Cynosurus cristatus; fig. 10). 



A slender, erect, tufted perennial ; leaves folded in the bud ; collar broad, 

 continuous, glabrous ; auricles none ; ligule membranous, medium long, 

 truncate, toothed, continuous with the margins of the sheath; sheaths not 

 compressed, glabrous, bright yellow below ground; blades glossy below, 

 prominently nerved above, flat one-fourth inch wide, sharp pointed. 



Fig. 9. — Yard-grass (Eleusine indica), 



Fig. 10. — Crested dog's- 

 tail (Cynosurus cris- 

 tatus). 



Fig. 11. — Sheep's 

 fescue (Festuca 

 ovina) . 



7. Sheep's fescue {Festuca ovina; fig. 11). 



A densely tufted perennial ; leaves folded in the bud ; collar narrow, indis- 

 tinct, glabrous; auricles short, obtuse; ligule membranous, very short; 

 sheaths finely pubescent when viewed under a lens, not compressed, the 

 old ones remaining as dark-brown fibers ; blades long, linear, thick, bristle- 

 like, about one-sixteenth inch wide, pale bluish green. 



8. Red fescue {Festuca rubra; fig. 12). 

 A fine glabrous perennial grass with creeping rootstocks ; leaves folded in 



the bud; collar narrow, indistinct, glabrous; auricles none; ligule mem- 

 branous, short, entire, acute; sheaths minutely roughened, wider than 

 blades, not compressed, the old ones remaining as brownish red fibers; 

 blades long, linear, thick, bristlelike, one-sixteenth inch or less wide, dark 

 green ; rootstocks fine, branching, producing tufts of shoots. 1 



1 In some forms of velvet bent (Agrostis canina) it is difficult to determine whether 

 the leaf is folded or rolled in the bud. It may be distinguished from red fescue by its 

 soft, flat blades, which are prominently nerved. The old leaf sheaths of velvet bent are 

 grayish white in color instead of brown, as in red fescue. 



