Part 3 (1/2)

=Bermuda Gra.s.s.= _Cynodon Dactylon_ L., Pers., (Capriola Dactylon (L.) Kuntze). Floral glume enclosing the grain, smooth, light colored, oval to half-oval, 1.5 to 2 mm. long, in cross section with two long sides and a short side half as long; grain light brown, obovate to oval, a small nipple at the larger end.

The plant seeds in hot countries but not in cool, temperate regions; spreading chiefly by coa.r.s.e, hard rootstocks. Introduced.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 11.]

=Small Crab-Gra.s.s.= _Digitaria humifusa_ Pers. _Panic.u.m lineare_ Kroach.

_Syntherisma linearis_ (Kroch.) Nash. Spikelets in the rough, before severe rubbing, ovoid or oblong, flattened, 2 mm. long, first glume minute, second and third as long as the spikelet, soft with very short hairs, one of them 3-nerved, the other 5-nerved; floret after severe rubbing, brown to black, smooth, floral glume of the rounded side curving over the edges below covering with their edges about two-thirds of the palea. Introduced from Europe; becoming troublesome on thin lawns.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 12.]

=Large Crab-Gra.s.s. Finger Gra.s.s.= _Digitaria sanguinalis_ (L.) Scop.

_Panic.u.m sanguinale L. Syntherisma_ (L.) Nash. Spikelets before severe rubbing, oblong, acute, 2.5-3.5 mm. long, first glume on flattened side minute, second on rounded side about half as long as the spikelet, p.u.b.escent or nearly smooth, third glume more or less p.u.b.escent, 5-7-nerved; floret, after severe rubbing, smooth, edges of floral glume thin. Introduced from Europe. Roots very tough and coming from the lower joints.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 13.]

=Barnyard Gra.s.s.= _Echinochloa Crus-galli_ (L.) Beauv. _Panic.u.m Crus-galli_ L. Florets oval, white, yellowish gray or brown, 2.4-3 mm.

long, plano-convex, glume on the convex side, highly polished, three obscure longitudinal nerves. Native of this country.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 14.]

=Yard-Gra.s.s. Wire-Gra.s.s.= _Eleusine Indica_ (L.) Gaertn. Florets light lead color or brown before thres.h.i.+ng or much rubbing; grain dark, reddish brown, 1.2-1.4 mm., ovoid with the base abruptly pointed, 3 sided, the corners rounded, a vertical groove along one side; seen from the back with the groove side down and base toward the observer, starting from an oval spot near the base, 10-15 ridges on each side, extend downward and forward. Introduced from some warmer region of the Old World.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 15.]

=Stink-Gra.s.s.= _Eragrostis megastachya_ (Koeler) Link. _Eragrostis major_ Host. Grain orange red or wine color .4-.6 mm. long. Broad oval to nearly circular, very slightly flattened, extremities slightly pointed, embryo within one edge near the base, a fine network of dark lines evident under a good lens. Introduced from Europe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 16.]

=Squirrel-tail Gra.s.s.= _Hordeum jubatum_ L. Spikelets in cl.u.s.ters of three, central one only fertile, 5 mm. long, containing a grain adhering to the floral glume and palea, the other two abortive, seven awns in these three spikelets, 4-6 cm. long, four others less than 1 cm. long; awns and fragment of rachis holding the cl.u.s.ter of spikelets together, all barbed upward, making them troublesome for fleeces of sheep and the mouths of animals eating them. Native of this country and widely distributed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 17.]

=Old Witch Gra.s.s. Tickle Gra.s.s. A Tumble-Weed.= _Panic.u.m capillare_ L.

Florets flattened, elliptical, apex abruptly pointed, about 1.5 mm.

long, highly polished, leaden gray, lighter at the extremities and along the edges of the glume, five slender light colored nerves join the extremities pa.s.sing vertically over the glume, two light nerves on the palea. Native to this country.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 18.]

=Tall Smooth Panic.u.m. Switch Gra.s.s.= _Panic.u.m virgatum_ L. Achene surrounded by two persistent s.h.i.+ning pieces, the floret; floral glume hard, light brown, oval or ovate-lanceolate 2.5-3.1 mm. long. Apex obtusely pointed. Seldom troublesome, widely distributed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 19.]

=Low Spear-Gra.s.s.= _Poa annua_ L. Florets straw-colored, 2.8-3.1 mm.

long, apex smooth, lower half of keel and the base of lateral nerves, having numerous soft hairs. A low annual gra.s.s, introduced from Europe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 20.]

=Flat stemmed Poa. Wire Gra.s.s. Canadian Blue Gra.s.s.= _Poa compressa_ L.