iiO THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



long, acutisli, aod distinctly three-nerved. It has little or no agricult- 

 ural value except in arid, sandy districts, where it seems to he most 

 common. {Plate 90.) 



Melica. 



Of this genus we have ten to twelve .'-pecies. Its characters are as 

 follows : Spikelets two to many flowered; the flowers usually convolute 

 around each other, the upper one smaller and imperfect ; the outer glumes 

 membranaceous or hyaline, acute or obtuse, awnless, the lower one three 

 to five and the upper sometimes seven to nine nerved, the lateral nerves 

 not reaching to the margin. The flowering glumes are of thicker text- 

 ure, becoming coriaceous, scarious at the apex, rounded or flattish on 

 the back, five to nine nerved, the lateral nerves not reaching the apex, 

 the central one sometimes ending in a point or an awn 5 the palets 

 shorter than their glumes, two-keeled, ciliate on the keels. 



MELigA MUTiCA. (Mehc grass.) 



A perennial grass, growing sparingly in rich, rocky woods through- 

 out most of the States east of the Eocky Mountains. It grows in loose 

 tufts, the culms about 2 feet high, the lower leaves and sheathes 

 soft hairy, the upper leaves narrow, 3 to 4 inches long, gradually 

 pointed. The panicle is very simple or little branched. In the variety 

 diffusa the panicle is larger, more branched and spreading; the spike- 

 lets are loosely arranged on the branches, almost sessile, and rather on 

 one si(ie of the branches. They are large and graceful in appearance, 

 each one consisting of two perfect flowers and a small chaffy knob, 

 called a rudiment. The outer glumes are thin, scarious-margined, five 

 to seven nerved, purplish, and three to four lines long. The flowering 

 glumes are thicker, strongly ribbed, scarious at the blunt apex, and 

 minutely rough on the nerves. The two flowers are somewhat distant 

 from each other. The palets are narrower and shorter than the flower- 

 ing glumes, arched and ciliate on the keels. This grass is eaten and 

 relished by cattle, but is probably not well adapted to cultivation. 

 (Plate 91.) 



Melica bulbosa. (Bulbous Melic grass.) 



This species is distinguished by its large bulbous roots, or, more 

 properly, by the bulb-like enlargement of the base of the culm. It 

 grows to the height of 2 or 3 feet ; the leaves narrow, scabrous, and 

 mostly involute. The panicle is from 4 to 8 inches long, narrow, with 

 short and distinct branches, which are mostly in pairs, erect and densely 

 flowered. The spikelets are about half an iuch long, with usually three 

 or four flowers, the upi3er one sterile. The outer glumes are thia, broad, 

 and obtuse, the lower one three to five nerved, the upper five to seven 

 nerved. The flowering glume is about a quarter of an inch long, ob- 

 tuse, roughish, and seven-nerved. The palet shorter than the flower- 



