THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES LIBRARY, ANGELES, CALIF. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DIVISION OF BOTANY. BULLETIN No. 12. GRASSES OF THE SODTIIWEST, PLATES AND DESCRIPTIONS GRASSES OF THE DESERT REGION OF WESTERN TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, ARIZONA,. AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Part I. By DR. GEO. VASEY, BOTANIST, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ISSUED ,*5CT» Flowers hermaphrodite. Palet oblong-oblanceolate in position, ciliate on the 2 nerves above, acute, with additional inflexed margins. Stamens 3; anthers linear, about li lines long. Stigmas not seen. Grain 1 line long, narrowly oblong, obtuse at both ends, loosely inclosed be- tween the glume and palet (and dropping from them when mature?); outer coat loose, wrinkled, and shining. PLATE LXIX; a and b, spikelet enlarged showing the parts, rachilla broker above the second glume. MELICA DIFFU3A, Pursh. No. 50. MELICA PORTERI Scribner. Plant perennial. Rootstock slender, creeping, scales distant. Roots very slender. Culms tufted, slender, erect, 2 to 3 feet high, unbranched, glabrous. Leaves of the stem 7 to 10; sheaths imbricated, sparingly backwardly scabrous, margins grown together; blades 6 to 12 inches long, upper sometimes shorter, 1 to 2 lines wide, flat, usually somewhat scabrous beneath, sparingly pilose above. Leaves of the root, with their sheaths, early decaying. Inflorescence paniculate. Panicle terminal, short-pedunculate, 8 to 12 inches long; rachis terete, nearly glabrous; branches spreading in anthesis, afterwards erect, 3 inches long or less, scattered, commonly 2 at each node, one much smaller than the other. Spikelets borne singly on slender scabrous pedicels pilose and abruptly bent at the apex. Spikelet 3- to 5-flowered, 4 to 7 lines long, slightly compressed, linear-oblong, narrowed at base and apex. Glumes with green nerved body and broad hyaline margins and apex; first ovate, bluntly acute, 2 to 3 lines long, 1- to 5-nerved, middle nerve scabrous; second similar, one-third longer, 7-to 9-nerved; third (flowering) elliptical -oblong, nar rowed to the base and apex, about 3 lines long, body rather coriaceous, scabrous on the back, with about 7 principal nerves and often with intermediate slender ones, all converging toward the apex but not uniting and not traversing the hyaline apex of the glume. Flowers hermaphrodite. Palet oblong-lanceolate when in position, acute, ciliate on the 2 nerves, with additional inflexed membranaceous margins. Stamens 3; anthers linear, 1 line long. Stigmas cylindrical. Grain (mature?) linear, 1 line long, dropping naked from the spikelet when ripe; pericarp rather loose, wrinkled; rachilla not disarticulating. PLATE L; a and 6, spikelet opened to show the parts. The second flower at least should have stigmas. The shorter glume in a is the outer one. MELICA PORTERI, Scrib. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DIVISION OF BOTANY. BTJLLETIlSr No. 12. GRASSES OF THE SOUTHWEST. PLATES AND DESCRIPTIONS GRASSES OF THE DESERT REGION OF WESTERN TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, ARIZONA, AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Part II. By DR. GEO. VASEY, BOTANIST, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUKK. ISSUED DECEMBER, 1§91. PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1891, NOTE. This bulletin constitutes the second half of the first volume of a work entitled Illustrations of North American Grasses. It is designed to continue the work by a second volume to be entitled Grasses of the Pacific Coast. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL WASHINGTON, August 3, 1891. SIR: I have the honor of herewith presenting for publication the manuscript of the second part of the Bulletin on the " Grasses of the Southwest." GEORGE VASEY, Botanist. Hon. J. M. RUSK, Secretary of Agriculture. NTRODUCTION. This second part of the Grasses of the Southwest presents, like the first part, plates and descriptions of 50 species of grasses, together making 100. The synonymy of such as have had several names is briefly given. Most of the species, however, are either new, or so little known that they have received but a single name. The drawings were made by Messrs. Scholl, Olszewski, and Holm, and in the details are generally very accurate. I wish to express my obliga- tions to Mr. L. H. Dewey, Assistant Botanist, for important assistance in describing the species. GEO. VASEY. AUGUST 3, 1891. 6 INDEX OF PLATES Plate. Aristida purpurea • 7 Chloris Swartziaria 28 Cottea pappophoroidea 29 1 )i|)lachue fascicularis 41 imbricata 42 Reverchoni 43 rigida 44 viscida 45 Elionurus tripsacoidee 1 Elynuis Sitanion 50 Eragrostis curtipedicellata 46 lugens 47 oxylepis 48 Purshii 49 Hilaria rigida 2 Lycurus phleoides •. 15 Muhlenbergia Buckleyana : 12 depauperata 14 Neo Mexicana 18 Schaffneri 14 Munroa squarrosa 81 Oryzopsis fimbriata 11 membranacea 10 Paspalum distii-luim 3 li viduin 4 pubiflorum 5 Plialaris intermedia var. augusta 6 Pappnphonim apertum 17 Wrightii 28 Schedonnardus Texanus 24 Soleropogon Kar\vinskianus 30 Sponibi >lns argutus 16 Hurkleyi 17 interruptus 18 tricholepis 19 Wrightii 20 Stipa peunata 8 Sc-ribneri 19 Trichloris pluriflora 24 verticillata 25 Trie nlia acuminata 32 albescens , 33 eragrostoides 34 grandiflora 35 Nealleyi : 36 pulchella 37 stricta 38 Texana 39 trinerviglumis 40 Trisetum Hallii 91 interruptum 22 7 GRASSES OF THE SOUTHWEST. II. No. 1. ELIONLTRUS TRIPS ACOIDES H. B. K. (E. ciliaris H, B. K.) Plant perennial, with short rootstock, smooth throughout or with slight pubes- cence near the ligule. Culms, loosely tufted, erect, branching, solid, terete, glabrous and shiny, 2 to 4 feet tall. Leaves; radical few, the broad loose sheaths tapering into the long involute blades with scarcely a contraction at the ligule; of culm 6 to 12; sheaths rather loose, open above, lower ones exceeding internodes, upper ones shorter; blades in- volute, slender, 4 to 12 inches long; ligule membranaceous, ciliate, truncate, i line long or less. Inflorescence consisting of a terminal, and several distant, long-peduncled, lateral spikes. Spikes linear, 3 to 4 inches long, cylindrical; two appressed, 1- flowered spikelets at each node of the hairy rachis, one sessile and perfect, and one staminate on a stout hairy pedicel l£ lines long. Sessile spikelet narrowly lanceolate; first glume lanceolate; nearly flat, bifid at apex, acute or obtusish. rigid, herbaceous, ciliate on the prominent marginal nerves, 5 to 7 other less prominent nerves; second glume lanceolate, membrana- ceous, smooth, obscurely 3-nerved, 2| to 3 lines long; third and fourth glumes lanceolate, acute, scarious, thin, smooth, the third ciliate, obscurely 3-nerved, 1-j to 2i lines long; palet small or wanting; pedicellate spikelet similar, but all parts smaller and the first glume always acute at apex; stamens 3. PLATE I; A, two spikelets, lower one perfect, upper one staininate, a to/, parts of perfect flower; a, first empty glume, extreme forms, dorsal view; and &, ventral view; c, second empty glume; d, third empty glume; e, floral glume; /, palet. Capital letters A, E indicate corresponding parts of staminate flower. Dr Havard states that this grass constitutes a large portion of the vegetation of the plains of southern Texas. It occurs in Mexico, and also in Florida. u ELIONURUS TRIPSACOIDE.S Kb. 2. HILARIA RIGIDA (Tlmrb.) Scrib. (PlrurapUs riaida, Thurb.) Plant perennial, rigid, woody throughout, except the young growth, with hard creeping rootstock sending up scaly branches. Culms spreading or ascending, branching freely, solid, 1 to 2 feet tall, woolly below. Leaves of rootstock appressed, scarious scales; of culm often 2-ranked and rather crowded; sheaths longer than internodes, close, woolly; blades involute, pungent, rigid. 1 to 3 inches long; ligule a dense white, woolly collar. Inflorescence a narrow, white or purplish spike, 2 to 3 inches long, formed of obovate clusters of 3 sessile spikelets at each node of the rachis. Spikelets; lateral ones in the cluster staminate and 2- to 3-flowered, middle one perfect and 1-flowered; empty glumes all about 3 lines long, forming an involucre about the cluster; first glume of staminate spikelet oblong, wider above, oblique, conspicuously ciliate, 5-nerved, 1 or 2 of the nerves on one side extended in short dorsal awns, second glume obovate, 2-lobed and ciliate above, 5-to 6-nerved, with 1 or 2 dorsal awns; floral glumes oblong or wedge-shaped, nearly equally 2-lobed at apex or merely obtuse, ciliate, 3-nerved, midnerve slightly excurrerit, and one lateral nerve rather obscure, 2 to 2^ lines long; palet oblong, truncate, slightly scabrous on the two nerves above, 2 lines long; empty glumes of perfect flower equal, at the back of the cluster, narrow, cuneate, oblique above, 4 to G awned, ciliate, 2 to 3 lines long including awns; floral glume oblong, equally 2-lobed, ciliate, 2 to 3 lines long, 3-nerved, lateral nerves equal and slightly excur- rent, midnerve excurrent in an awn ^ to 1 line long; palet lance-oblong, obtuse, ciliate or lacerate at apex, 2-nerved, 2 to 3 lines long; stigmas 2, long, plumose. Grains; no mature grains found. PLA.TE II; a to d. parts of staminate flower: a. first empty glume; 6. second empty glume; c, floral glume; d. palet; e, perfect flower with its two empty glumes; /to h, parts of perfect flower; /. floral glume; g. palet; h, empty glume. New Mexico and Arizona; almost the only grass on the driest desert land; commonly called Gayetta grass. It is considered a valuable grass. HILARIA, RIGIDA PASPALUM DJSTICHUM Linn. Plant perennial, the long creeping rootstocks rooting at the nodes and forming a rather close sod, nearly glabrous or sometimes pubescent, somewhat glaucous. Culms one or two in a place ascending from the nodes of the rootstocks, branching, solid, angular below, 1 to 2 feet tall. Leaves variable; of rootstocks mostly broad, loose, membranaceous scales; of culms 5 to ?'; sheaths rather loose, closed, rarely compressed and open, striate; blades flat or slightly involute, 2 to 2$ lines wide, 2 to G inches long; ligule an inconspicuous tawny, lacerate fringe, decurrent. Inflorescence of 2 rarely 3, narrow, erect, approximate spikes, 1 to 2i inches long, the lower one raised on a short internode of the axis; rachis flat, bearing the two crowded rows of sessile spikelets in alternate ranks. Spikelets broadly oblong-lanceolate, flattened, 1-flowered, 1 to li lines long; first and second glumes equal, broadly lanceolate, 3-nerved or unsymmetrically 4-nerved; first acute, 1 line long, smooth; second with short, loose pubescence; floral glume broadly lanceolate, smooth, indurated, 3-nerved. 1 line long: palet indurated, ovoid, inclosing grain, acute, obscurely 1-nerved, 1 line long and quite as broad. Grain elliptical-lanceolate, flattened, nearly black at maturity, minutely roughened, 1 line long; falling with the enveloping palet and glume. Stigmas 2, purple, prominent. PLATE III; a, first empty glume, dorsal view; b, second empty gmme; c, flowering glume, inside view; d, palet and stamens; e, pistil. Common in the Southern States, Texas, and westward to California. Near the Gulf, and in moist ground it forms valuable pasturage. No. 4. PASPALUM LIVIDUM Trin. Plant perennial, coarse, somewhat tufted on a short rootstock. Culms few in a place, erect, or decumbent, geniculate below, solid, terete, 2 to 3 feet tall. Leaves; radical mostly scarious; of culm 0 to !>; sheaths equaling or exceeding iiiternode, loose, often compressed and open, lower ones often pubescent; blades flat, hispid above and below toward the tip, o lines wide, 'i to 0 inches long; ligule a tawny, lacerate, inembranaceous fringe, } line long, decurrent. Inflorescence a racemose panicle of 4 to 8 approximate spikes, alternate on the flattened axis, 2 to 4 inches long; spikes unilateral, sessile, 1 to l£ inches long; rachis flat and smooth, \ line wide, usually purplish. Spikelets crowded, usually in 4 rows, sessile or OH short pedicels, oblanceolate, flattish, 1-flowered, 1 to 1^ lines long; first glume broadly ovate, acute, slightly convex, slightly roughened on back. :>-nerved. lateral nerves marginal and joining midnerve at apex, 1 line long; second glume same but flat and slightly smaller; floral glume, indurated, round on back, with inrolled margins, very obscurely .'5-nerved, f line long; palet broadly oval, indurated, nearly flat, with irregular, hyaline margins below enfolding the seed, obscurely 2-nerved, nearly 1 line long. Grain; a careful search through is specimens produced but one perfect grain and that immature, but old enough to show the form, obovate, rounded, flattened on both sides f line long. PLATE IV; a. first empty glume; b, second empty glume; c, floral glume, stamens, ami pistil; //, palrt, ventral view, with two inembranaceous lobos turned out. Found in southwestern Texas; common in Mexico. T.Eo2m,de(.. No. 5. PASPALUM PUBIFLORUM Rupt. Plant perennial, coarse, rather glaucous. Rootstock creeping, branching, and often rooting at the nodes. Culms few in a place, sometimes loosely tufted, ascending or nearly erect; geniculate below, branching, solid, angular below, nearly terete above, smooth, 18 to 30 inches tall, the lower joints woolly. Leaves of rootstocks rather coarse, loose scales; of culms 3 to 7; sheaths shorter than internodes, loose, smooth, often with a few scattered hairs along the upper margin; blade flat, 8- to 10-nerved, sparsely ciliate, 3 to 5 lines wide, 4 to 8 inches long; ligule membranaceous, ovate, lacerate, l£ lines long, decurrent. Inflorescence 3 to- 6 narrow, spreading spikes, alternate along the angular axis, 2 to 3 inches long; rachis flat, bearing 2, often 4, rows of crowded spikelets in alter- nate rows. Spikelets broadly oblong or ovate, 1-flowered, 1 to l\ lines long; first glume broadly oval or hemispherical, with infolded margins, usually softly-pubescent, 3-nerved, li to l£ lines long; second glume broadly oval, flat, with infolded mar- gins, nearly smooth, 3-nerved, of the same length; floral glume indurate, ovate- oblong, convex, with infolded margins, smooth, obscurely 3-nerved, 1 line long; palet indurated, broadly ovate, flat, with infolded margins, smooth, obscurely 2-nerved, 1 line long. Grain oblanceolate, thick, flat on one side, shiny, dark-brown at maturity, not translucent, 1 line long, falling free or with indurated enveloping palet. PLATE V; a. spikelet, side view; b, first empty glume; c, second empty glume; d, floral glume; e, palet and stamens; /, pistil. Common in Texas and extending to southern California. In the Southern States is a form with smooth spikelets. Probably a valuable pasture grass. No. 6. PHALARIS INTERMEDIA Bosc. var. ANGUSTA Chap. (P. an- gusta Nees.). Plant perennial, rather coarse, usually glaucous throughout. Culms somewhat tufted, erect, sometimes branching below, terete, smooth, or scabrous above, 2 to 4 feet tall. Leaves; radical, few, 2 to 4 inches long, scarious in mature specimens; of culm 4 or 5; sheaths usually shorter than internodes, rather loose, close, smooth, blades flat, taper-pointed, scabrous on both sides, 3 to 5 lines wide, 3 to 6 inches long; ligule prominent, membranaceous, obtuse, lacerate in age, 2 to 3 lines long. Inflorescence a dense, cylindrical spike £ inch in diameter, 2 to 4 inches long; the shortly-pedicellate spikelets crowded on short, much divided, appressed branches. Spikelets with one perfect flower, and two opposite, small rudimentary scales or glumes below the perfect flower and closely appressed against it, 1^ to 2 lines long; first and second glumes nearly equal, lanceolate, acute, carinate, slightly winged on kee]. above, herbaceous, hispid on keel, H to 2 lines long; flowering glume coriaceous, lanceolate, acute, rounded, completely enveloping grain, clothed throughout with short, appressed, brittle hairs, nearly smooth and shining at ma- turity, light-brown, !-£ lines long; palet narrow, pubescent, 1 line long, 1-nerved. Grain oval, slightly compressed, and with small hook at apex, whitish, f to 1 line long, inclosed in flowering glume from which it is extracted with difficulty. PLATE VI; a, empty glumes; b, floral glume; c, palet. Grows from Florida to Texas and California. In Texas it has been cultivated, and is a very prolific and valuable grass. No. 7. ARISTIDA PURPUREA Nutt. Plant annual or short lived perennial, often purplish especially in the inflor- escence. Culms tufted, erect, slender, not branching, nearly smooth, 1 to 2 feet tall. Leaves; radical and of radical shoots with narrow, close sheaths and slender involute blades, 4 to 10 inches long; of culm 3 or 4; lower sheaths longer than inter- nodes, upper ones much shorter, close, smooth ; blade involute, hispid above, 3 to 6 inches long ; ligule a line of fine short hairs, somewhat hairy at the sides. Inflorescence rather loose, narrow, erect or slightly nodding panicle, 4 to G inches long; branches 2 or 3 at each node, unequal, the lower 1 to 2 inches long, naked below, each bearing 2 to 5 pedicellate or nearly sessile spikelets. Spikelets narrow, 1-flowered, 5 to 6 lines long; first glume narrowly lance-lin- ear, emarginate, mucronate, rounded, hispid on- keel, 1-nerved, 4 to 4^ lines long; second glume same but nearly 2 lines longer; stipe hairy, | line long; floral glume linear-lanceolate, rounded, slightly hispid on the nerve above, 4 lines long, termi- nating in 3 separate, slender, minutely hispid awns 1 to 2 inches long; palet obo- vate, thin, i to f line long. PLATE VII: a, spikelet twice as large as natural size. Abundant on plains and ridges, in several varieties, from Texas to British America. It is the earliest available grass for cattle in the spring, but of little value when mature. No. 8. STIPA PEN NAT A Linn. var. Neo Mexicana Thurb. Plant perennial with strong coarse roots. Culms erect, densely tufted, not branching, hollow, smooth, 1 to 3 feet tall. Leaves of radical shoots numerous, with round, close, smooth sheaths, and narrow closely involute blades, 10 to 12 inches long; of culm 3 to 4, sheaths smooth, usually exceeding internodes; blades like those of radical shoots but shorter; lig- ules membranaceous, rounded, and ciliate above, less than i line long. Inflorescence a narrow racemose panicle 4 to 5 inches long; branches almost appressed, the lower 2 to 3 inches long, each bearing 1 to 3 pedicellate spikelets. Spikelets 1-flowered; first and second glumes nearly equal, lanceolate, long; awn-pointed, herbaceous, 5 to 7-nerved, l£ to H inches long; floral glume terete, coriaceous, yellow, clothed throughout with close appressed pubescence, 5 to 7 lines long, contracted at the apex, terminating in a twisted, bent awn, feathered above, 4 to 6 inches long; palet narrowly terete, hard, smooth, 5 to 6 lines long. Grain narrow, reddish, 2 to 3 lines long. PLATE VIII; a, spikelet dissected, about natural size. Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. No. 0. STIPA SCRIBNERI Vasey. Rootstock short, horizontal, with coarse fibrous roots. Culms tufted, erect, terete, smooth, l£ to 2% feet tall, unbranched. Leaves; from base half as long as the culm; of stem 3 or 4; sheaths smooth, or lower ones slightly scabrous, nearly equaling or slightly exceeding the inter- nodes, close; blade flat below, involute above toward the long tapering point, mid- nerve inconspicuous, 1 to 2 lines wide, 4 to 10 inches long; ligule truncate, 1 line long. Inflorescence an erect slender panicle, its base inclosed by the upper sheath, narrow and close, 5 to 8 inches long; rachis slightly angular, not flexuous; branches in twos or threes, appressed, 1 to 2 inches long, each bearing 2 to 4 spikelets on short pedicels. Spikelets 1-flowered; empty glumes unequal, the first 6 to 7 lines, and second 5 lines long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, both 3-nerved, smooth; floral glume about 4 lines long, white-hairy, the hairs longer above forming a crown or tuft 1 line long; awn rather slender, 8 to 9 lines long, not hairy; stipe short, acute; palet less than 1 line long, obtuse, and adherent to grain. Grain nearly cylindrical, yellow, opaque, 2 to 2£ lines long. PLATE IX; a, spikelet dissected and enlarged. Arizona and New Mexico. Generally in strong tufts. WRSr/ioll, No. 10. ORYZOPS1S MEMBRANACEA (Pursh.). (Stipa membranacea Pursh.) Eriocoma cuspidata Nutt.) Plant perennial, closely tufted, thickened at base. Culms slender, nearly erect, not branching, geniculate, solid, terete, smooth, 12 to 18 inches tall. Leaves; radical, numerous, the scarious sheaths clustered thick about the base of the culms; blades involute, smooth, 6 to 10 inches long; of the culms 3; lower sheaths shorter than internodes, smooth and close, upper sheath longer and loose; blades like those of radical leaves; ligule membranaceous, ovate, acute, or lace- rate, 1 line long, prominently decurrent. Inflorescence a very loose, erect or flexuous panicle 4 to 6 inches long, included at the base, usually with 2 or 3 nearly equal axes; branches mostly in pairs, dis- tant, horizontal, divided in pairs beyond the middle, bearing solitary spikelets on long flexuous pedicels. Spikelets 1-flowered, 3 lines long; first and second glumes equal, inflated and widened below, narrowed above to a long sharp point, scarious except the 5 rather obscure nerves, minutely pubescent throughout, 3 lines long; floral glume ovoid or oblong, hard, dark-brown, profusely clothed with long white hairs, 1-J lines long, obscurely nerved, terminating in an awn 2 lines long, which falls at maturity; palet conical, smooth, hard, brown, obscurely nerved, 1| lines long. Grain oval, light-yellow, f line long. PLATE X; a, spikelet; b, empty glumes; c, floral glume, with hairs and awn; d, same after hairs and awn have fallen; e, palet. In the floral glume, c, the awn should be represented more to one side. Texas to California, northward to British Columbia, usually in sandy or grav- elly soil. A valuable grass. The large seeds are nutritious, and cattle fatten where the grass is abundant. T.ff')lm.,olei. No. 11. ORYZOPSIS FIMBRIATA Hemsl. (Stipa fimbriata Kth.) Culms tufted with many root leaves at base, erect, striate, smooth, slender, 1 to 2 feet tall. Leaves of stem 2 to 4; lower sheaths much shorter than internodes, closely wrapping the culm with the niembranaceous inner fold; blade filiform, involute, ^ line wide, 1 to 3 inches long, much exceeded by the in volute setaceous root leaves; ligule conspicuous, obtuse, wider than blade, 1 line long. Inflorescence a loose, erect, or spreading panicle, 4 to 6 inches long; rachis angu- lar, slightly scabrous, flexuous towdrd apex, branches in twos or threes, spreading or lower ones even deflexed, filiform, 1 to 2 inches long, each bearing 2 to 4 spike- lets on pedicels 3 to 5 lines long. Spikelets obovate, 2 to 2$ lines long; first glume broadly lanceolate, upper half scarious with acuminate apex, often purplish, 5-nerved, smooth, 2 to 2% lines long; second glume same but slightly smaller; floral glume coriaceous, orbicular, obscurely 5-nerved, covered with loose white hairs longer at base, and bearing a smooth flexuous awn 5 to 8 lines long; palet obovate, acuminate, 2-nerved, 1| lines long. PLATE XI; a, spikelet dissected and enlarged; b, panicle at maturity. Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. No. 12. MUHLENBERGIA BUCKLEYANA Scribn. (Muhlenbergia Texana Buckl. not Thurb.) Plant annual, diffuse, spreading. Culms tufted at base, spreading, terete, slender, smooth, branching below, 10 to 15 inches tall. Radical leaves few and small; of culm 1 to 3, usually 2; sheaths rather loose, somewhat vaginate, or compressed and open, slightly scabrous, longer than inter- nodes; blade flat or involute, scabrous on both sides, 1 to 2 inches long. Inflorescence an oblong, loose, spreading panicle 4 to 8 inches long: rachis and branches slender, terete, often purple, the latter mostly alternate, 1 to 3 inches long, bearing solitary spikelets on slender pedicels 1 to 2 lines long. Spikelets narrowly lanceolate, 1 -flowered, 1 line long; first glume ovate, acute, hyaline, pubescent, 1-nerved, £ line long with a very short awn; second glume same but little larger: floral glume oblong, 2-toothed at apex, i to 1 line long, 3-nerved, slightly pubescent on the nerves, midnerve excurrent in an awn as long as the glume; palet lanceolate, nearly acute, thin, 2-nerved, | line long. Grain narrowly obovate, rounded at apex, compressed, reddish-amber, ^ line long, falling with floral glume and palet but easily escaping. PLATE XII; a, spikelet enlarged; 6, empty glumes; c, floral glume; d, palet. Texas, New Mexico to Mexico on rocky hills. No. 13. MUHLENBERGIA NEO-MEXICANA Vasey. Plant slender, tufted, perennial, from thick, knotted, or sometimes creeping rootstocks. Culm branching freely below, erect, slender, terete, nearly smooth, 12 to 18 inches tall. Leaves; of culms 4 to 6; sheaths longer than internodes, close, slightly rough- ened; blades erect, appressed, closely involute and setaceous, 2 to 3 inches long; ligule an irregular, ovate, lacerate membrane i line long. Inflorescence a narrow, erect or slightly nodding panicle, 3 to 4 inches long, often purple; branches alternate, erect, hispid, i to 1 inch long, bearing rather close clusters of spikelets on hispid pedicels £ to li lines long. . Spikelets narrow, 1-flowered, 2 lines long; empty glumes equal, lance-ovate, acute, carinate, hyaline, 1-nerved, 1 line long, terminating in a slender awn i to ^ line long; floral glume narrowly conical, lanceolate, acute when unrolled, thin, smooth, minutely pubescent at base, 3-nerved, terminating in an awn $ inch long; palet obscurely 2-nerved, 2 lines long, often projecting out of the floral glume; stamens 3. Grain, none present in the 24 specimens examined. PLATE XIII ; a, panicle at maturity; b, cluster of spikelets; c, spikelet enlarged. Eocky ledges. New Mexico and Arizona. , del No. 14. MUHLENBERGIA SCHAFFNERI Fourn. Plant low, annual or short-lived perennial. Culms tufted, procumbent or spreading, branching freely, 2 to 4 inches tall. Leaves; radical, few and small; of culm 3 to 5; sheaths compressed, open, striate, scabrous 011 both sides, margins white, i to 1 inch long; ligule membrana- ceous, lacerate, f line long, decurrent in prominent hyaline margins on the sheath. Inflorescence a narrow contracted panicle, 1 to 2 inches long, often included at base, rachis and branches angular, hispid. Spikelets sessile, appressed, narrow, 1| to 2 lines long; first glume lanceolate, the apex lobed, with 2 short unequal or nearly equal teeth at apex, hispid, 2-iierved, her- baceous, rigid, 1 to li lines long; second glume linear-lanceolate, acute, carinate, short-awned at apex, hispid, 1 -nerved, 1% to 2i lines long, including awn; floral glume ovate, 2 minute hyaline teeth at apex, slightly hispid, ciliate below, 3-nerved, with slender awn f to 2 lines long, or sometimes awnless; palet ovate, acute, 2-iierved, thin, smooth, 1^ to 1^ lines long. Grain narrowly cylindrical, reddish amber color, f line long, falling with palet and glume but easily escaping. PLATE XIV, No. 2, lower figure; a, first empty glume; 6, second empty glume; c, floral glume; d, palet. Arizona. No. 14. MUHLENBERGIA DEPAUPERATA Scrib. Plant low, tufted, annual or short lived perennial. Culms spreading, branching at each node, 3 to 4 inches tall. Leaves; radical, few or none; of culm 2 to 4, with loose, smooth, broad, open sheaths, and short folded or involute blades; ligule membranaceous, lacerate, de- current. Inflorescence a narrow, contracted, rather close panicle, 2 to 3 inches long, usually included below, rachis and branches angular, hispid, pedicels short. Spikelets narrow, 1-flowered, l£ to 2 lines long; first glume ovate, obliquely 2-toothed at apex, scarious, minutely hispid, obscurely 1-nerved, f to 1 line long; second glume lanceolate, narrowing at apex to a slender, awn-like point, scarious, minutely hispid, 1 to li lines long; floral glume narrowly lanceolate, with 2 minute teeth at apex, rounded 011 back, hispid. 3-nerved, 1-j to 2 lines long, midnerve excurrent in an awn 2 to 5 lines long; palet lanceolate, acuminate, rounded, envel- oping grain, minutely pubescent, 2-nerved, 1^ to If lines long. Grain narrowly cylindrical, reddish-amber, lighter above, 1 line long, falling with palet and glume but easily escaping. PLATE XIV, No. 1, upper figure; a, spikelet enlarged; 6, empty glumes; c, floral glume; d, palet. Very close to M. Schaffneri and perhaps but a variety of it, Arizona, d c No. 15. LYCURUS PHLEOIDES H. B. K. Plant perennial from thickened, slightly bulbous base. Culms tufted, erect or ascending, rather weak, branching, solid, nearly terete, smooth, 1 to 2 feet tall. Leaves; radical numerous, with short, close sheaths and flat, folded or invo- lute blades 1 to 2 inches long, with white margins and midrib; of culm 4 or 5; sheaths much shorter than internodes, loose and open, smooth; blades like those of radical leaves but longer; ligule membranaceous, ovate, acute, oblique, decur- rent on one side, 1 line long. Inflorescence a dense, cylindrical spike i inch in diameter, 2 to 3 inches long. Spikelets 1 to 3 on each of the short branches of the rachis, one or two of which are commonly imperfect; first glume oblong, thin, 2-nerved, | to f line long, terminating in 2 or (rarely) 3, unequal, hispid awns, 1 to 3 lines long; second glume ovate, acute, carinate, membranaceous, 1-nerved, f to 1 line long, terminating in an awn 2 to 3 lines long; floral glume lanceolate-oblong, acute, pubescent through- out, thicker than the empty glumes, 3-nerved, If to 2 lines long, terminating in a hispid awn l£ to 2 lines long; palet lanceolate, 2-toothed at apex, rounded, 2-nerved, thinly pubescent, l£ lines long; the flowers are subject to the attack of an insect, which renders the palet inflated and hardened below. Grain narrowly lanceolate or linear, yellow, £ line long. PLATE XV; A, perfect spikelet, with abortive spikelet below; a, spikelet with the palet distorted; b, first empty glume; c, second empty glume; d, floral glume, ventral view; e, palet; /, palet of pistillate flower distorted by an insect. Texas and Mexico, northward to Colorado. THolm.,d