62 ME. J. BALL o:^^ the tloea 



PoA No. 5. Above Casapalta ! A small caesx^itose species, 

 with roots of numerous strong fibres; the culms 6-8 inches in 

 height ; the leaves filiform, convolute ; the branches of the small 

 panicle scabrous. 



T'estuca MTURrs, Ehr7i.=Y. muralis, Kunfh. At Chiela and 

 in the upper valley of the Eimac, between 9000 and 10,000 feet 

 above the sea ! A doubtful native of South America, though now 

 widely spread. 



Testijca st;i3ULIfoe:mis, Benth. PI. Hartw. 282. Above Casa- 

 palta ! 



Festiica casapalteksis, n, sp. Above Casapalta ! 



Humilis, cpespitosa, culrais adscendentibus spithamseis, angula- 

 ribus ; foliorum vaginis brevibus, subinflatis, limbo anguste lineari, 

 flexuoso, canaliculate ; paniculselaxiusculse ramis acute 3-4-angu- 

 laribus, sub lente scabriusculis, apice incrassatis ; glumis iufcrio- 

 ribus longe acumiaatis^ extima uninervi, interiore trinervi, spiculis 

 3-4-floris, flosculo supremo sterili; gluma fertili teuuiter pube- 

 scente, quinquenervi, in aristam terminalem scabram ipsa gUima 

 duplo longiorem desinente ; palea bicariuata ; ovario glabro ; 

 stylo subnullo ; stigraatibus plumosis. 



This is a very singular grass, agreeing in all essential points of 

 structure with Festuca, but not at all resembling any species of 

 that genus which I have seen. In appearance it comes nearer to 

 some of the Mediterranean species of Bromus^ but the nervation 

 of the glumes makes it unfitting that genus. Among Festucce 



Mexican F, 



Willd. (Si 



Hen 



rESTUCA ? F, Molli, Kunth, proxime affinis. Chiela ! I 



drew from amidst dense bushes a single imperfect specimen of a 

 grass 4 or 5 feet high with a large lax few-flowered panicle, 

 which appears to be nearly allied to Kuuth's Festuca moUiSj and 

 may perhaps represent an extreme state of that species. It is 

 certainly a Festuca^ with four or five florets in each spikelet, and 

 short oval awnless glumes, recalling the appearance of some 

 species of Bromus of the Serrafalcus group. 



