THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 53 



short Stalks, oue or two at the base of each perfect flower, which is ses- 

 sile or without a stalk. At or Dear maturity the sterile flowers drop 

 oft*, leaviug- still remaiuing the short stem or stems on which they were 

 borne. The perfect spikelethas two outer glumes, which are tough and 

 leathery, and two thin transparent inner ones, one of which is two- 

 lobed at the apex, and between the lobes extended into a short, rigid, 

 bent and twisted awn or beard. Stamens, three ; stigmas, plumose. The 

 sterile spikelets are narrower, the outer glumes without the leathery text- 

 ure, served longitudinally, the two inner ones thin and delicate, desti- 

 tute of the awn and containing three stamens or empty. 



Phalaeis. 



This genus is dettned as having spikelets with one perfect flower and 

 one or two rudimentary flowers, or mere sterile pedicels, within the 

 outer glumes and below the proper flower. 



The outer glumes are cominessed and boat-shaped, acute, strongly 

 keeled, becoming coriaceous or cartilaginous. The inner or true flower 

 consists of two thin glumes, sometimes called palets, inclosing the sta- 

 mens and pistils. Xo proper i)alet present. 



Phalaris aruxdinacea. (Eeed canary grass.) 



A perennial, grass with strong creeping rhizomas, growing from 2 to 

 5 feet high, usually in low or wet ground. It ranges from Xew England 

 and Xew York westward to Oregon, and northward to Canada, also in 

 the mountainous parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia. It is common, 

 also, in the north of Europe. The culm is stout, smooth, and leafy; the 

 leaves are mostly from 6 to 10 inches long, and about half an inch wide, 

 the upper ones shorter. The ligule is about two lines long, rounded or 

 obtuse. The panicle is fiom 2 to 4 inches long, narrow and spike-like ; 

 . the branches short and crowded above, rather distant below, slightly 

 spreading when in flower. The spikelets are three lines long; the outer 

 glumes nearly equal, nearly smooth, boat-shaped, oblong-lanceolate, 

 acute, three to five nerved, the keel scabrous and slightly thickened 

 near the apex. The flowering glumes are one-third shorter, ovate, 

 thick, somewhat hairy externally. The two sterile i)edicels are about 

 one-third as long as the flowering glumes and feathered. 



The stout stems bear five or six leaves, which are 6 to 8 inches long, 

 and a quarter to a half inch wide, smoothish except on the edge, striate 

 and pointed. The ligule is conspicuous, thin, and rounded. This grass 

 is said to be extensively used for fodder in Sweden, and is liked by 

 cattle. Mr. J. S. Gould says of it : 



In the province of Scania it isjuown twice a year. The peasantry there use it as a 

 thatch for their cottages and hay stacks and find it is more durable than straw. It 

 is very certain that cattle in our country do not relish it either as pasture or hay, and 

 they will not touch it as long as they can get anything better. When cut very young, 

 say when about 1 foot high, and used for soiling, cattle eat it better than any 

 other wav. 



