MANUAL OF THE GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 



587 



Figuee 844A. — Leptoloma arenicola. Base and panicle, X Vi', spikelet and floret, X 10. (Type.) 



132. ERIOCHLOA H. B. K. Cupgrass 



Spikelets more or less pubescent, solitary or sometimes in pairs, short- 

 pediceled or subsessile, in two rows on one side of a narrow rachis, the back 

 of the fertile lemma turned from the rachis; lower rachilla joint thickened, 

 forming a more or less ringlike, usually dark-colored callus below the second 

 glume, the first glume reduced to a minute sheath about this and adnate to it; 

 second glume and sterile lemma about equal, the lemma usually enclosing a 

 hyaline palea or sometimes a staminate flower; fertile lemma indurate, mi- 

 nutely papillose-rugose, mucronate or awned, the awn often readily deciduous, 

 the margins slightly inrolled. Annual or perennial, often branching grasses, 

 with terminal panicles of several to many spreading or appressed racemes, 

 usually approximate along a common axis. The species are called cupgrasses 

 because of the tiny cup made by the first glume at the base of the spikelet. 

 Type species, Eriochloa distachya H. B. K. Name from Greek erion, wool, and 

 chloa, grass, alluding to the pubescent spikelets and pedicels. 



A West Indian species, E. polystachya H. B. K. (E. subglahra (Nash) 

 Hitchc), called malojilla in Puerto Rico, is used for forage. This has been 

 tried along the Gulf Coast from Florida to southern Texas and has given ex- 

 cellent results in southern Florida and at Biloxi, Miss. It is similar in habit to 

 Para grass, producing runners but less extensively, is suited to grazing, and 

 will furnish a good quality of hay. It will not withstand either cold or drought. 

 The name carib grass has been proposed for it. In Arizona E. gracilis has some 

 value for forage in the national forests. 



Spikelets, including slender awns, 7 to 10 mm. long 1. E. aristata. 



Spikelets not more than 6 mm., awnless or awn-tipped. 



Pedicels with erect hairs at least half as long as the spikelet, racemes dense, erect or ap- 

 pressed; spikelets relatively blunt (see also E. gracilis). 



Blades 2 to 3 mm. wide, elongate 2. E. sericea. 



Blades 5 to 15 mm. wide, not more than 15 cm. long 3. E. lemmoni. 



Pedicels scabrous or short-pubescent; spikelets acuminate or acute. 

 Plants perennial. 



