396 



WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



^o-M^er perfect, with its lower palea convex with a short awn near the 

 apex ; lowest floret stamiuate only, bearing a long bent awn on the back 

 below the middle ; otherwise nearly as in Avena. 



1. A. aveka'ceum, Beauv. Leaves fiat ; panicle linear-oblong, con- 

 tracted, finally spreading ; glumes unequal, the lower one shorter than 

 the florets. 



Oat-like Arrhenatherum. Oat-grass. Grass of the Andes. 

 Ft. Avoine elevee. Germ. Wiesen Hafer. 



Root perennial, creeping, nodose. Gulm about 3 feet high, glabrous. Leaves 4 - 8 or 10 

 inches long, lance-linear, scabrous on the margin and upper surface ; sheaths striate, 

 smooth ; ligule short, rotuse. Panicle linear-oblong, finally spreading and somewhat 

 nodding, — the branches short, semi-verticillate. 



Cultivated lots : introduced. Native of Europe. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



Ohs. This gfass has been partially introduced, and cultivated, by a few 

 curious farmers ; but it does not appear to be much of a favorite, either 

 for pasture or hay, in Pennsylvania. It is sometimes called " Grass of 

 the Andes," — but I know not for what reason, as it seems to be of un- 

 doubted European origin. 



Flint in his treatise upon Grasses, speaks favorably of this grass, re- 

 marking that "it is esteemed by those who know it for its early, rapid 

 and late growth, making it well calculated for a late pasture grass." 



24. HOL'CUS, L. Yelvet-grass. 



[An ancient Greek name, of obscure derivation.] 



SpiMets crowded in an open panicle, 2-3-flowered ; rets jointed with 

 their pedicels, somewhat remote, enclosed and exceeded by the membra- 

 naceous boat-shaped glumes. Lower floret perfect, but its thin lower 

 palea awnless ; upper flower staminate only, with a bent awn below the 

 tip. Stamens 3. Styles plumose to the base. Grain free, smooth. 



1. H. lana'tus, L. Softly hoary pubescent; panicle oblong, rather 

 contracted ; awn of the staminate floret recurved, included in the glume. ■ 



Woolly Holcus. Yelvet-grass. Feather-grass. White Timothy. 



Fr. Houque laineuse. Foin de mouton. Germ. Wolliges Honig-gras. 



Root perennial. Oulm simple, 18 inches to 2 feet high. Leaves lance-hnear, acute, 2-5 

 or 6 inches long ; ligule white, truncate, dentate. Panicle oblong, somewhat dense,— -the 

 branches hairy. Glumes roughish-pubescent, whitish, often tinged with purple. Florets 

 both pedicellate, smooth and shining. Palea: of the perfect floret nearly equal in length, 

 the lower one broader, keeled —of the staminate floret unequal, the lower one larger, keel- 

 ed, with a recurved or hooked awn on the back near the apex. 



Moist meadows : introduced. Native of Europe. Fl. Jnm. i^/-. July. 



Obs. This grass is naturalized in many places in Pennsylvania. Some 



