92 THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



fescue or oat grass. It is not found near the coast, consequenMj- 1 had no chance to 

 observe its growth during the latter part of the sumnjer and in the winter season, and 

 therefore ain not able to judge of its value as a pasture grass. 



(Plate 94.) 



DiSTiCHLTS MAEITIMA. (Salt grass, Marsh grass.) 



This is described in most botanical works as Brizopynmi spicattim, 

 but recently the name given by Eafinesqne has been accepted and re- 

 stored to it by Mr. Bentham. It is a perennial grass, growing in 

 marshes near the sea-coast on both sides of the continent, and also 

 abundantly in alkaline soil throughout the arid districts of the Eocky 

 Mountains. It has strong, creeping root-stocks, covered with imbri- 

 cated leaf-sheaths, sending up culms from 6 to 18 inches high, which are 

 clothed nearly to the top with the numerous, sometimes crowded, two- 

 ranked leaves. The leaves are generally rigid and involute, sharp- 

 pointed, varying greatly in length on different specimens. The plants 

 are dioecious, some being entirely male and some female. The panicle 

 is generally short and spike-like, sometimes, especially in the males, 

 rather loose, with longer, erect branches, and sometimes reduced to a 

 few spikelets. The spikelets are from four to six lines long and five to 

 ten flowered, the flowers being usuallj^ much compressed. The outer 

 glumes are smooth, narrow, and keeled ; the flowering ones are broader, 

 keeled, acute, rather rigid, and faintly many-nerved. The palets have 

 an infolded margin, the keels prominent or narrowly winged. ^ The pis- 

 tillate spikelets are more condensed and more rigid than the staminate. 

 Although this cannot be considered a first-rate grass for agricultural 

 purposes, it is freely cut with other marsh grasses, and on the alkaline 

 plains of the Eocky Mountains it affords an inferior pasturage. (Plate 

 95.) 



Dactylis glomerata. (Orchard grass, Cocksfoot grass.) 



This is one of the most popular meadow grasses of Europe, and is 

 well known to most farmers in the Northern and Eastern States. It is 

 a perennial, of strong, rank growth, about 3 feet high, the culm and 

 leaves roughish, the leaves broadly linear, light green, and five to six 

 on the culm. The panicle is generally but 2 or 3 inches long, the upper 

 part dense from the shortness of the branches ; the lower branches are 

 longer and spreading, but with the spikelets glomerated or closely 

 tufted. The spikelets are usually three to four flowered, one-sided, and 

 on short, rough pedicels. The glumes are pointed and somewhat un- 

 equal, the upper one being smaller and thinner than the lower. The 

 flowering glumes are ovate-lanceolate, roughish, and ending in a sharp 

 point or short awn, and are rather longer than the outer glumes. 

 Professor Phares, of Mississippi, says : 



Of all grasses this is one of the most widely diffused, growing in Africa, Asia, every 

 country of Europe, and all our States. It is more highly esteemed and commended 

 than any other grass by a larger number of farmers in most countries, a most decided 



