Manual of the Grasses of the United States, Volume Two, Volume 2This work is actually the definitive encyclopedia of United States grass life. Compiled from the U.S. National Herbarium collection, the largest of its kind in the world, it is the only complete manual of U.S. grasses available and one of the basic reference works on U.S. plant life. It catalogs and describes in detail all 1,398 numbered species in 169 numbered genera found in this country, plus 120 species in 16 genera of the so-called “waifs.” Professor Hitchcock is the former Chief Botanist in charge of systematic agrostology for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, by whom the work was originally published, and an internationally known authority. The heart of the book is its detailed descriptions of the family of grasses, the two main subfamilies, the tribes, genera, and species. Quick finding keys are provided for the identification of tribes and genera. Each of the species is given thorough botanical description, including various aspects of its morphology — size, shape, form of culms, blades, panicles, spikes, and flowers — and height, proper planting season, and range of distribution are noted. The Manual also outlines the common uses to which grasses are put and discusses in general terms their distribution, classification, nomenclature, and common names. The 1,199 drawings make identification of any grass species found in the United States a virtual certainty. The appended synonymy of alternate names for each species provides an authoritative taxonomy, eliminating confusion. The nature lover with no more technical equipment than a keen eye can use this manual with profit, for a glossary of botanical terms is included. Naturalists, botanists, agriculturists, and horticulturists will find it valuable as a field and research guide to virtually all the grasses that grow in this country. |
Common terms and phrases
Acad Agropyron Agrost Amer Andropogon Aristida ascending Avena Based on Agrostis Based on Aira Based on Andropogon Based on Panicum Based on Poa Beal Beauv blades branches Calamagrostis Calif Carolina Chamaeraphis Chapm Club Bul Contrib culms Digitaria Elymus Eragrostis Eriochloa ex Steud Fernald Festuca floret Florida Fourn glabrous Glum glume Gram Grasses Hack Herb Hitchc Jour Kunth Kuntze ligule Manisuris Melica Mém Merr Mexico Michx Midl Muhl Muhlenbergia Nash Nees nodes Nutt panicle Paspalum pedicels Pétersb pilose Plant Poir Presl Proc pubescent racemes rachis Rév Rhodora Roem Rottboellia Rydb Schult Scribn Setaria sheaths slender South species spikelets Sporobolus Spreng sterile lemma Steud Stipa Swartz synonym Syst tall Texas Thurb Torr Torrey Bot Trin Trisetum Triticum Type U. S. Dept U. S. Natl Vasey ex views of spikelet Wernal wide Willd