11. Oryza (Latin name for rice). A genus of grasses comprising about six species, occurring in the tropics of both hemispheres. Aquatic plants with flat leaves and terminal panicles. Spikelets one-flowered, strongly flattened laterally; glumes much shorter than the spikelet.
saliva, Linn. Rice. (Fig. 531.) An annual grass, native of southeastern Asia and extensively culti vated in the warmer regions of both hemispheres for the grain, which is used for food. [See Rice.] 12. Phalaris (Greek, shining, referring to the seed). A genus of grasses of about a dozen species, mostly in southern Europe, but five in North America. Inflorescence a spike-like panicle. Spike lets one-flowered, strongly flattened latterly, artic ulated above the usually wing keeled glumes. Below the lemma are two narrow or bristle-formed scales, which represent rudimen tary flowers or sterile lemmas. Fertile lemma hard and shining in fruit and closely enveloping the grain.
arundinacea, Linn. Reed Canary-grass. (Fig. 532.) A perennial grass from a creep ing rootstock, growing to the height of two to four feet, with a narrow, branched panicle. Native in the north ern half of the United States and also in Europe and Asia, where it occurs in wet meadow land. It is an important hay plant in the northern part of the Great Plains region and to the eastward perhaps more especially. A variety with striped leaves is cultivated for ornament under the name of ribbon-grass.
Canariensis, Linn. Canary-grass. (Fig. 533.) An erect annual, with a compact, ovoid spike or head about an inch long. A native of the Old World, but introduced in waste places in America and also occa sionally cultivated for its seed, which is used for bird-food.
13. Anthoxanthum (Greek, yellow flowers). A genus of three or four species of European grasses, one of which is occasionally cultivated in this country as a forage grass. Spikelets one-flowered, with two unequal glumes, two narrow scales repre senting rudimentary flowers or sterile lemmas, and a perfect flower with a lemma shorter than the glumes. Aromatic annual or perennial grasses, with contracted, spike-like panicles.
adoratum, Linn. Sweet Vernal-grass. (Fig. 534.)
A perennial sweet-scented grass, native of Europe, but now introduced and widely distributed in the northern half of the United States. It is rarely grown in mixtures for meadows ; it imparts a sweet odor to the hay. It is an inferior fodder plant.
14. Arrhenatherum (Greek, arrhen, masculine, and ather, awn, referring to the awned staminate flower). A genus of six species of perennial grasses native of the Old World. Spikelets two flowered, the lower staminate, the lemma bearing a twisted and geniculate dorsal awn, the upper per fect and short-awned or awnless. Inflorescence a narrow panicle.
elatius, Beauv. Tall Oat - grass. (Fig. 535.) A tufted grass, two to five feet high, sparingly cul tivated for hay.
15. Phleum (Greek name for a kind of reed). A genus of annual or perennial grasses native in the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Spikelets one-flowered, laterally compressed- keeled, the thin lemma shorter than the glumes. Inflorescence a a dense cylindrical spike-like panicle terminating the culm.
pratense, Linn. Timothy. (Fig. 536.) Native of Europe and extensively cultivated in the cooler parts of North America as a forage plant. A short lived perennial with erect sterns and bulbous, thickened base. In New England this is often known as Herd's-grass.
16. Alopecurus (Greek, fox-tail). A genus of annual or perennial grasses of about twenty species, found in the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Spikelets one-flowered, laterally compressed, ciliate along the keels of the glumes, lemma awned from the back ; palea usually none. Inflorescence a dense cylindrical or ovate, spike-like panicle.
pratensis, Linn. Meadow Foxtail. A hardy peren nial grass from a creeping rootstock, with leafy stem and cylindrical panicles. Occasionally grown in meadow mixtures on wet land in northeastern United States.
17. Ammophila (Greek, sand-loving). A genus of grasses of one or two species, occurring on the sandy seashore of Europe and America. Spikelets one-flowered, rather large and chartaceous ; rachilla prolonged as a bristle behind the palea. Inflores cence a narrow, spike-like panicle.