72 THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



The flowering glume and palet are of equal length and similar texture 

 with the longest outer glume ; the copious hairs at the base are more 

 than half as long as the flower. There is no sterile pedicel or rudiment. 

 This grass is too coarse to be of much agricultural value, but would be 

 useful for the same purposes as the preceding. 



Deschampsia. (Aira of the books.) 



This genus has two-flowered spikelets, the upper flower usually small- 

 er than the lower, generallj^ in a loose panicle with slender branches. 

 The axis or stem connecting the two flowers is hairy, and is extended 

 into a hairy pedicel which rarely bears an empty glume or rudiment of 

 another flower. The outer glumes are keeled, rather thin, and with 

 scarious margins ; the flowering glumes have a fine awn on the back 

 below the middle. 



Deschampsia c^spitosa {aira ccesintosa). (Hair grass.) 



This is an exceedingly variable species, having a very wide distribu- 

 tion in this and other countries. It is somewhat rare east of the Mis- 

 sissippi, but on the elevated plains and in the Eocky Mountains, also 

 in California and Oregon, it is one of the common bunch grasses which 

 afford i^asturage to cattle and horses. In the East it is found in the 

 hilly regions of Kew England and the Alleghanies. 



The culms form tussocks, are smooth, and grow from 2 to 4 feet high j 

 the root leaves are very numerous, generally flat, narrow, and from 6 

 inches to a foot long; those of the culm about 2, and from 1 to 3 inches 

 long ] the ligule is conspicuous and pointed. The panicle is generally 

 pyramidal, 4 to 6 or sometimes 10 inches long, the branches distant, 1 

 to 3 inches long ; capillary and spreading, the lower ones in fives, those 

 above two or three together, or single, and are flower-bearing mostly 

 above the middle. The spikelets are smooth, on slender iDedicels, and are 

 about two lines long. The empty glumes are membranaceous, purjile, 

 or yellowish, nearly equal, the ui^i^er one a little the longer and about 

 as long as the flowers ; the flowering glumes are oblong, toothed at the 

 obtuse apex, thin, scarious margined and delicately nerved ; from the 

 back near the base proceeds a slender awn about as long as the glume. 

 The palets are similar in texture, narrow, two-nerved and two-toothed 

 at the apex. 



The panicle is very handsome, presenting a purple or glossy hue and 

 a loose graceful appearance. 



We know very little as to the value of this grass. It may be found 

 worthy of cultivation in the arid interior districts. (Plate 62.) 



Deschampsia elexuosa. (Wood hair grass.) 



A ijerennial grass, growing in tufts on rocky hills or in sandy woods. 

 The culms are slender, 1^ to 2 feet high, and smooth. The leaves are 

 mostly from the root, very numerous, very narrow, involute, and 6 to 



