GRASSES OF OHIO 
327 
inate or vestigial; empty glumes of the sessile spikelet subequal, 
indurated, the outer one dorsally flattened with a strong nerve near 
each margin, the inner one keeled above; first lemma hyaline; fertile 
lemma membranous or hyaline, awned, its palet hyaline, sometimes 
obsolete; grain free. 
1. Inflorescence of 2 or more racemose branches; joints of the rachis not 
clavate. 2 
1. Raceme simple; joints of the rachis clavate, with a cup-shaped depression at 
the top. A. sc Oparins. 
2. Raceme branches 2-6 on a long peduncle; rachis with short inconspicuous 
hairs; tall coarse grasses. A. fnrcatus. 
2. Raceme branches 2 or 3, subtended by a foliaceous sheath; rachis covered 
with long white hairs. A. virginicus. 
1. Andropogon furcatus Muhl. Big Bluestem. A large grass 
with solid, robust stems simple at the base but branching from the 
upper nodes, S-Sj/s ft. high, with a sweetish sap and with a more or 
less digitate panicle of 2-6 spike-like racemes, usually purplish. 
Rachis joints and pedicels hairy on the sides and at the summit; 
pedicellate spikelet staminate; sessile spikelet perfect; fertile lemma 
with a delicate awn. 
A characteristic and important prairie grass valuable for hay 
and pasture. In dry or moist soil. Aug., Sept. Rather general. 
2. Andropogon virgmicus L. Virginia Beard-grass. A grass 
with rather slender stems sparingly branched above, 1^-4 ft. high, 
and with a loose and elongated inflorescence of 2-4 spike-like racemes 
protruding from the sides of the sheaths. Hairs of the inflorescence 
long and silky; sessile spikelet perfect, its lemma with a nearly 
straight awn; pedicellate spikelet vestigial. 
In dry or moist open fields and hillsides. Aug., Sept. Gallia, 
Jackson, Meigs, Athens, Vinton, Hocking, Fairfield, Belmont. 
3. Andropogon scoparius Mx. Little Bluestem. (Schizachyrium 
scoparium (Mx.) Nash.) A tufted grass with rather slender and 
stiff, simple or branched stems, 1-4^2 ft. high, and with loose racemes 
on long-exserted, slender peduncles. Joints of the rachis and pedicels 
ciliate with spreading hairs; sessile spikelet perfect, the fertile lemma 
with a bent and twisted awn; pedicellate spikelet reduced to a single 
awn-pointed glume. 
An important hay and forage grass in the West. On dry prairies 
and in sandy fields. Aug.-Oct. Rather general. 
