439 
nerves near the base; palet one-fourth shorter than the glume, the keels promi- 
neutly arcuate near the base.—Type specimen in Nat. Herb. No, 24, collected by G. 
C. Nealley near Corpus Christi, Texas, May, 1891. It is the same as No. 121, J. 
Reverchon, Texas, 1879, which was distributed as Tricuspis albescens Munro. 
**** Panicle open, branches spreading. 
+ Panicle ample (1 to 8 dm, long): spikelets compressed, 
++ Floral glume entire or emarginate, sometimes mucronate. 
8. S. Texana (Thurb,) Kuntze. Culms slender, leafy, 3 to 5 dm. high: leaves 2 
to3dm. long, often exceeding the panicle: spikelets 6 to 12 mm. long, 6 to 10-flowered ; 
empty glumes unequal, about one-half as long as the adjacent florets; floral glume 
broadly ovate or rotund; palet broadly ovate or almost hastate lobed at the base, 
one-third shorter than the glume. (7ricuspis Terana Thurb. Mss.)—Hills, south- 
western Texas. 
9, S. eragrostoides (Vasey.) Culms nearly 1 m. high, leafy: leaves hispidulous, 
flat, 2 to 3dm. long: panicle pyramidal, 2 to 3 dm. long: spikelets 5 to 7 mm. long, 8 
to 10-flowered; empty glumes nearly equaling or slightly exceeding the lower florets; 
floral glume broadly oblong, slightly pubescent below the middle, one-third longer 
than the palet. (Triodia eragrostoides Vasey & Scribn.)—Hillsides, southern Texas 
and Florida. 
++++ Floral glumes somewhat 5-toothed, the nerves all slightly excurrent, 
10. S. ambigua (Ell.) Kuntze. Culms 4 to 8 dm. high, simple: leaves attenuate, 
1 to 3 dm. long: panicle 1 to 2 dm, long: spikelets short oblong, 4 to 6 mm. long, 
5 to 8-flowered, usually purple; empty glumes slightly shorter than the lower 
florets; floral glume broadly oblong, pubescent below the middle; palet equaling the 
glume. (Poaambigua Ell. Tricuspis ambigua Chapm. Triodia ambiqua Vasey.)—Rare, 
Point Isabel, Texas, and northwestern Florida, 
11. S. seslerioides (Michx.) Scribn. (TALL RED Tor.) Culms about 1m. high, 
simple, leafy: panicle 2 to 3 dm. long: spikelets linear, 6 to 8 mm. long, 5 to &- 
flowered, usually purple; empty glumes shorter than the lower florets; floral glumes 
oblong, pubescent below the middle on the nerves; palet one-fourth shorter than the 
glume. (Poa seslerioides Michx. Tricuspis seslerioides Torr, Triodia cuprea Jacq. )—Low 
rich land, Texas to Minnesota and eastward to Maine and Florida. Var. INTERMEDIA 
Vasey has culms slender and generally shorter than the species, with panicles very 
open and usually hairy in the axils, and pedicels longer than the spikelets.—Texas 
to Oklahoma. 
+ + Panicle small (3 to 5 em, long): spikelets subeylindrical. 
12. S. purpurea (Walt.) Kuntze. (SAND Grass.) Culms rather robust, slightly 
barbellate at the numerous geniculate nodes: leaves short, flat or involute, acute: 
panicle 3 to5 em, long; branches few, short and spreading: spikelets purple, 4 to 
7 mm. long, 2 to 5-flowered; empty glumes shorter than the lower florets; floral 
glume oblong, cleft one-third way from the apex, with a ciliate awn exceeding the 
lobes, ciliate on the nerves; palet prominently ciliate, one-third shorter than the 
glume. (dira purpurea Walt. Triodia purpurea Hack.)—Sandy shores, eastern Texas 
to Michigan and along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. 
**** * Panicle narrowly linear: spikelets terete. 
+ Empty glumes both I-nerved. 
13. S. mutica (Torr.) Kuntze. Culmsslender, wiry,3to5 dm. high: leaves mostly 
involute, rather rigid: panicle 1 to 2 dm. long; branches appressed: spikelets 8 to 10 
mm. long, 5 to 8-flowered; empty glumes nearly equal, shorter than the lower florets; 
floral glume oblong, entire or emarginate, prominently pubescent near the base, 
