GLYCERIA GRANDIS
8. Glyceria grandis Wats. REED MANNA-GRASS, AMERICAN MANNAGRASS, REED MEADOW-GRASS, TALL GLYCERIA.
A tall, erect, stout, glabrous perennial growing in wet soils, on banks of streams, in moist meadows and in ditches.
Leaves folded in the bud-shoot. Sheath compressed and keeled, glabrous, smooth or slightly scabrous, closed almost to the top but rupturing easily, pale yellowish green, with conspicuous cross-nerves connecting main veins. Auricles absent. Collar prominent, glabrous, pale green or yellowish brown, divided by the midrib. Ligule membranous, 2.0 to 5.0 mm. long, truncate to acute, abruptly sharp acuminate, entire or slightly undulate. Blade 6 to 15 mm. wide 10 to 40 cm. long, V-shaped or flat with boat-shaped apex,. glabrous, pale green, quite scabrous and faintly ridged on the upper surface, smooth or slightly scabrous on the keeled underside; transverse veins numerous and distinct forming a network with longitudinal veins; margins scabrous; the row of motor cells on each side of midrib showing as two light lines by transmitted light.
This grass is distinctly yellowish green in colour and the leaves are firm, erect and not conspicuously ridged. The cross-nerves joining the veins, interrupting the air-filled lacunae, are distinct in both sheaths and blades of this species.
