GRASS FAmLT, 



407 



tivated grounds, or about houses. It ought to be most carefally and 

 thoroughly extu'pated, on its first appearance iu any agricultural region. 



31. TEIP'SACUM, L. Ga5ia Grass, 



[Greek, tribo. to rub ; perhaps in allusion to its polished fertile spikes.] 



SpiTcelets moncucious, in terminal and subterminal jointed spikes which 

 are solitary, or often digitate in twos or threes, staminate above and 

 fertile below. Stamixate spikelets in pairs on each triangular joint, 

 longer than the joint, collateral, 2-flowered ; glumes coriaceous, the 

 outer one nerved, the inner one boat-shaped ; pakiz very thin and mem- 

 branaceous, awnless ; stamens 3 ; anthers orange-colored, opening by 2 

 pores at summit. Pistillate spikelets single, 2-flowered (the lower 

 one neutral), deeply imbedded in each oblong joint of the cartilaginous 

 thickened raclus, and occupying a boat-shaped cavity which is closed by 

 the polished cartilaginous ovate outer glume ; inucr glume much thinner, 

 boat-shaped : palecB very thin, hyaline and closely packed together. 

 Style long ; s*igmas very long, plumose, dark-purple. Grain ovoid, free. 

 Perennials with csespitose tall branching culms which are hard, smooth 

 and solid ; leaves very long, sublinear, acuminate ; spikes separating at 

 the articulations spontaneously, at maturity. 



1. T. dactyloi'des, L. Spikes usually 2-3, aggregated or digitate 

 sometimes solitary, — the upper half staminate, the lower pistillate. 



Fixger-like Tripsacum. Gama Grass. Sesame Grass. 



C(<7m.? 3 or 4-6 feet high, hard and glabrous, sohd with pith, — the internodes broadly 

 channelled on alternate" sides ; nodes smooth, with a dark-brown contracted ring at the 

 base of the sheaths. Leaves 1 or 2-4 feet long, and half an inch to an inch or more in 

 width, lance-hnear, keeled, smooth beneath, roughish on the upper surface, serrulate on 

 the margin, contracted and sparingly pilose at base; sheaths nerved, glabrous : Ugule 

 very short, ciUate. Spikes 4-6 or 8 inches long, not uufrequeutly single ; w'hen solitary, 

 the pistillate portion of the spike is terete, — when in pairs, semi-terete as if split down. — 

 and when ternate the spikes are somewhat triquetrous. Caryopsis ovoid, smooth, — the 

 perirjiip thin and tender. 



Moist meadows, banks of streams, &c. : iliddle and "Western States. FT. July. Fr. 

 September. 



Ohs. This stout and remarkable Grass is not very common on the 

 Atlantic slope of our continent ; but it is said to be abundant in the 

 valley of the Mis.sissippi. Some years ago it was highly extolled, by a 

 few western correspondents of our Agricultural Journals, as an article 

 of fodder for stock ; but I have not heard much of it, latterly. The 

 leaves and young culms may probably answer a good purpose — where 

 better materials are scarce ; but any one who will examine the coarse 

 hard stems of the full-grown or mature plant, may soon satisfy himself 

 that it can never supersede the valuable grasses, or the good hay. now in 

 use, — nor compete, in any respect, with common Indian-corn fodder. 



