THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 11^ 



GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN DESCRIBING GRASSES. 



Abrupt. Terminating suddenly. 



Acuminate. Extended into a tapering point. 



Acute. Sharx3-poiuted. 



Alternate. Situated regularly one above the other on opposite sides. 

 Annual. Living but one season. 



Anther. The organ containing tne pollen or flower dust. 



Apex. The top or extreme end of any part. 



Appressed. Pressed together, not spreading. 



Aristate. Having an awn or beard. 



Articulated. Connected by a joint or joints. 



Ascending. Rising obliquely from the ground. 



Awl-shaped. Gradually narrowed to a fine point like an awl. 



Awn. A bristle-like hair proceeding from the glumes. 



Axis. Jhe central stem of a panicle, spike, or spikelet on which the flowers are dis- 

 posed. 



Beard. A long slender hair or awn. 

 Biennial. Living through two seasons. 

 Bifid. Divided into two portions at the apex. 

 Bisexual. Having both stamens and pistils. 

 Blade. The expanded portion of a leaf. 



Boat-shaped. Folded together in the form of a boat, convex outwardly and concave 



on the inside. 

 Branch. A division of the stem or panicle. 

 Branchlet. A secondary division of the branch. 

 Bristles. Short, stiff hairs. 

 Bulbous. Thickened like a bulb. 

 Ccespitose. Growing in bunches or tufts. 

 Capillary. Hair-like, very slender. 

 Cartilaginous. Firm and tough like cartilage. 

 Carinate. Keeled, having a prominent ridge in the center. 

 Cauline. Belonging to the culm or stem. 

 Chaff. The dried glumes and palets of grasses. 



Chartaceous. The texture resembling paper or parchment in thickness. 

 Ciliaie. Having the margin or nerves fringed with hairs. 

 Compressed. Flattened laterally. 

 Contorted. Twisted. 



Convolute. Rolled together inward from the margins. 



Cornaceous. Of a horn-like consistence. 



Coriaceous. Of a leathery consistence. 



Culm. The stalk or stem of grasses. 



Cuspidate. Ending in a sharp, stiff point. 



Decumbent. Reclining on the ground, but rising at the top. 



Dichotomous, Branching in twos, forking by pairs. 



Digitate. Dividing from a common point. 



Dioecious. Having the stamens and pistils on separate plants, the stamiuate dow- 

 ers on one and pistilate flowers on another. 

 Diverging. Widely spreading. 

 Dorsal. Belonging to or growing from the back. 

 Emarginate. Having a notch at the end. 

 Entire. Without notches or divisions. 

 Equal. Alike in length. 



Exserted. Protruded, extended beyond, standing out. 

 2218 GR 8 



