Box 16, Folder 3: Grasses of Wisconsin 1854

1854. Grasses of Wis. I.A.L.

Common Names of Grasses.

[Column 1] No.

Barley 102-103 Barn grass 136 Bengal grass 140 Bent grass 17-18 Blue grass 71-72 Blue joint 30 Bottle brush grass 99 Bottle grass 138 Broom-corn 149 Broom-grass 145 Canary-grass 116-117 Cane 88 Cat's-tail grass 10 Chess or Cheat 85 Cock's-foot 53 Cord-grass 44 Corn, Indian 142 Couch grass 90 Crab grass 120 Crow's-foot 48 Cut grass 1 Darnel 94-95 Dog's-tail grass 48 Drop seed 28 Egyptian wheat 93 Evergreen grass 81 False rice 1 Fescue grass 79-80-81 Finger-grass 120 Fiorin grass 18 Floating foxtail 8 Fly-catch grass 3 Foxtail grass 7-8-9 Gama grass 143 Hair grass 19-105-106 Herd's grass 10-17 Indian corn 142 Indian grass 71-148 Indian rice 4 Italian rye grass 94 June grass 71 Lyme grass 96-97 Manna grass 62 Maize 142 Meadow fescue 81 Meadow foxtail 9 Meadow grass 70-71 Millett 36-145-140 Millet grass 118

[Column 2] No.

Mountain rice 34 Nimble-will 28 Oat 111 Oat-grass 37-112 Orchard grass 53 Porcupine grass 38 Poverty grass 39-43 Quitch grass 90 Randal grass 81 Rattle snake grass 58 Ray grass 94 Red top 17-51-69 Reed-grass 33-87 Ribbon-grass 116 Rice, wild 4 Rice, mountain 34 Rough meadow grass 70 Rye 104 Rye-grass 94-97 Sand reed 33 Sea-reed 33 Seneca grass 114 Sesame-grass 143 Sheep's fescue 79 Soft grass 113 Spear grass 71 Spring wheat 89 Squirrel-tail grass 100 Sweet-scented vernal grass 115 Tall fescue grass 80 Tall meadow oat-grass 112 Thin grass 19 Three-rowed barley 102 Timothy 10 Tufted hair-grass 105 Tuscarora rice 4 Two-rowed barley 103 Vernal grass, sweet-scented 115 Water-foxtail 7 Water-oats 4 Wheat 89-93 White grass 4 White darnel 95 Wild grass 71 Wild rice 4 Wild rye 96 Winter wheat 89 Wire grass 72 Wood grass 148

IAL.

1854.

Contents. vii

[table of contents pages 82 through 397]

[notable entry is this collection]

VIII.

The Grasses of Wisconsin -- I. A. Lapham, Milwaukee .... 397

397

Trans. Wis Agr. Soc. Vol 3. 1854

[black and white illustration] J.W.Orr N.Y.

Indian Women Gathering Wild Rice

written 1853

The Grasses of Wisconsin, and the Adjacent States of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, the Territory of Minnesota, and the Regions about Lake Superior.

By I. A. Lapham, Milwaukee.

The word grass conveys two very distinct and different ideas; and when used should be explained in such manner as to leave no doubt in the mind of the reader as to which is intended. In common usage the word includes herbage, or plants which constitute the food of cattle and other beasts, without regard to any particular species of family of the vegetable kingdom. This is obviously very indefinite, and would include (besides the true grasses) the branches of trees, and a host of nutritious plants, as well as clover and lucerne. A much more precise definition is given to the word grass (Gramineae) in botany where it includes only such plants as posses certain characters in common, con-

398

constituting a natural group or family. In this sense it includes corn, wheat, oats, rice, the cane, &c., while it excludes clover and many other plants usually called grass, but which belong to very different groups or families. It is in the latter sense or meaning of the word that it is used, and must be understood in the following pages.

In attempting to make up a list of the native and naturalized grasses of Wisconsin, we are embarrassed by the paucity of observers. There are but few botanists in our new state, and only a very small portion of its surface has been explored by persons qualified to discriminate the different species that may fall in their way. Doubtless there are many grasses growing within our limits, not yet detected, especially in the northern and central counties. I have not hesitated, therefore, to include those species of grass that have been observed in the adjacent country, many of which will perhaps be hereafter found in Wisconsin.

For the grasses of Ohio, besides my own observations in that State, I am indebted to the catalogues and communications of Dr. J. L. Riddell, Mr. Wm. S. Sullivant, Mr. Joseph Clark and the late Mr. T. G. Lea. For those of Michigan, the catalogue of Mr. John Wright, accompanying the Geological Report of Dr. Houghton, for 1839, is the only published resource. To Mr. Dennis Cooley, of Washington, Macomb County, my thanks are especially due for a very complete list of the grasses growing in his vicinity; and Mr. Charles Fox has kindly communicated several rare species from that State. I have but little information in regard to the grasses of Indiana, and did not succed [succeed] in obtaining a list of those found in that State.

The plants about the shores of Lake Superior have been investigated and partially catalogued by W. A. Burt, W. D. Whitney, and Professor L. Agassiz. Those of Iowa, Minnesota, and the north-western part of Wisconsin are enumerated by Dr. C. C. Parry, in the late Report of Dr. Owen, on the Geology of the same district.

From Illinois I have received a very complete suit of specimens, collected by Dr. S. B. Mead, of Augusta, in Hancock County. A few species are added on the authority of Dr. C. W. Short, of Kentucky, and of the French botanist Michaux, who visited the southern portion of that State, and described its flora as early as 1794.

Within the limits thus indicated there have been detected one hundred and forty nine species, including several only known in cultivation. Their names, general character, time of flowering, &c., will be seen in the following Table:

Grasses written 1853 pub 1853 vol 3

399

Table of the Grasses of Wisconsin and the Adjacent Country.

[first column]

Systematic Name.

1. Leersia oryzoides ... Su. 2. Leersia Virginiea ... Willd. 3. Leersia lenticularis ... Mx 4. Zizania aquatica ... L. 5. Zizania miliacea ... Mx. 6. lepturus paniculata ... Nutt. 7. Alopercurus aristulatus ... Mx 8. Alopercurus geniculatus ... L. 9. Alopercurus pratensis ... L. 10. Phleum pratense ... L. 11. Phleum alpinum ... L. 12. Vilfa vaginaeflora ... Tor. 13. Sporobolus juncens ... Kh. 14. Sporobolus heterolepis ... Gray 15. Sporobolus serotinus ... Gray 16. Sporobolus asper ... Wood 17. Agrostis vulgaris ... With. 18. Agrostis alba ... L. 19. Agrostis scabra ... Willd. 20. Agrostis perennans ... Gray 21. Cinna arundinacea ... L. 22. Cinna pendula ... Trin. 23. Muhlenbergia sobolifera ... Trin. 24. Muhlenbergia glomerata ... Trin. 25. Muhlenbergia Mexicana ... Trin. 26. Muhlenbergia sylvatica ... T. & Gr 27. Muhlenbergia Willdenovi ... Trin. 28. Muhlenbergia diffusa ... Schr. 29. Braehyelytrum aristatum ... Beauv. 30. Calamagrostis Canadensis ... Beauv. 31. Calamagrostis coarctata ... Tor. 32. Calamagrostis longifolia ... Hook.

[second column]

Common Name.

White Grass Fly-catch grass Wild rice Water fox tail Floating fox tail Meadow fox tail Timothy Red top White top Thin grass Nimble Will Blue Joint

[third column]

Duration.

Perennial Annual

[fourth column]

Time of Flowering.

[various months]

[fifth column]

Height or Length of Culms.

[various lengths]

[sixth column]

Kind of Roots.

Creeping Fibrous

[seventh column]

Natural Place of Growth.

Wet places Wet shady places Wet grounds In shallow water In water Stagnant water Margins of ponds Meadows On mountains Dry gravely places Prairies Dry soil Moist meadows Damp shady places Shady swamps Damp woods Openings Swamps Low grounds Rocky woods Shady woods Dry hill sides Woods Sandy lake beach