60 aoe 
Arundo Donax (Giant Reed Grass). 
This grass is often cultivated for its very ornamental plumes. It is 
a native of Southern Europe, but is well established on the borders of 
the Rio Grande River, where it is probably indigenous, and has been 
recommended for cultivation. 
PHRAGMITES. 
Only differing from Arundo in the lowest flower of the spikelets being 
staminate only and glabrous. 
Phragmites communis (Reed Grass). 
A tall, coarse, perennial grass, growing on the borders of ponds and 
streams, almost rivaling sorghum in luxuriance. It attains a height of 
6 to 10 feet; the culms sometimes an inch in diameter, and leaves 
an inch or two in width. The panicle is from 9 to 15 inches long, 
loose, but not much spreading, of an oblong or lanceolate form, 
and slightly nodding. The branches are very numerous, irregularly 
whorled, 4 to 8 inches leng, much subdivided, and profusely flowering. 
The largest panicles form very ornamental plumes, almost equal to 
those of Arundo Donax, so much cultivated for ornamental purposes. 
It sometimes attains the height of 15 feet. It is resorted to by eattle 
only when finer and more nutritious grasses fail. (Plate 68.) 
KGSLERIA. 
Keeleria cristata. 
This grass has a very wide diffusion, both in this country and in - 
HKurope and Asia. It favors dry hills or sandy prairies, and on the 
Great Plains is one of the commonest species. It occurs throughout 
California and extends into Oregon. It varies much in appearance, 
according to the location in which it grows, these varieties being so 
striking that they have been considered different species; and perhaps 
two species ought to be admitted. It is perennial, with erect culms 
usually from 1 to 2 feet high, and a spike-like panicle varying from 
3 to 6 inches in length, and more or less interrupted or lobed at 
the lower part. When grown in very arid places the culms may be 
only a foot high, the radical leaves short, and the panicle only 2 
inches long. When grown in more favored situations the radical leaves 
are sometimes 18 inches long, the stem 3 feet, and the panicle 6 inches. 
The branches of the panicle are, in short, nearly sessile clusters, crowded - 
above, looser and interrupted below. The spikelets are from two to 
four-flowered. On the prairies west of the Mississippi it is one of the 
- commonest and most useful of the grasses. In Montana it is sometimes 
called June grass. It is an early grass, ripening about the first of 
July. (Plate 69.) Ree 
