269 



Mexico. It is readily distinguished from B. pohjstachys Benth. and B. miaro- 

 stachys (Fourn.) Vasey by its perennial, npriglit habit and the longer spikelets. 

 All the lobes and the awns of the floral glumes are much larger than in B. poly~ 

 stachys, and the lateral lobes are larger than in B. microstachys. 



Bieglingia -wrightii sp. nov. Dioecioua; culms erect or decumbent, from strong, 

 creeping rhizomcH, 8ini])le or branching, 1| to 2 feet high, leafy, rather stout; 

 leaves of cului 5 to 8, those of the i'crtile culms 6 to 12 inches long, 2 to 3 linea 

 wide, attenuate; lower sheaths shorter than the internodes, loose, smooth, the 

 upper one near the panicle and equaling or exceeding it; pistillate panicle 5 

 to 8 inches long, linear-oblong, the braiiclica mostly single, appressed, or the 

 lower ones somewhat spreading, 2 in<;heH long, spikelet-bearing throughout, 

 Bomewhat spike-like, simple or compound at the base; spikelets large, 5 to 8 

 lines long, compact, nearly terete, 5- to 7-flowered, florets closely imbricated; 

 empty glumes nearly equal, ovate-lanceolate, membranaceous, thclower3-nerved, 

 the upper 3- to 5-nerved, 4 to 5 lines long; lloral glumes ovate, acute, slightly 

 mucrouate or entire, 4 to 5 lines long, rounded on the back, 3- to 5-nerved, coria- 

 ceous, with a broad, scarious margin; palet slightly shorter than its glume, 

 thick, cartilaginous, curvcil, broad at the base, narrowed above, tlie nerves wing- 

 margined and ciliate-scabrous; styles 2, thick, protruding from the apex of the 

 infolded palet ; ovary not matured in the specimens seen; staminate plants as 

 seen mostly smaller, with shorter and narrower panicles, shorter, compressed 

 spikelets, and thinner glumes, the jKilet membranaceous. 



It was first collected in Texas or New Mexico by C. Wright and is No. 2038 of 

 his collection, distributed as Tricu^pia albescens Mnuro, from which it is very dif- 

 ferent. It has since been collet ted (in 1891 and 1892) in Presidio County, Texas, 

 in two distinct localities by Mr. G. C. Nealley ; one of the localities furnishing 

 staminate plants and the other pistillate. It is the only direcions species known 

 in the genus, anddifters from the usual generic characters in wantingthe lateral 

 teeth of the floral glumes and the pubescent lateral nerves and callus, and in the 

 very large cyliiuhical spikelets and large florets. Still its affinities seem to be 

 "with 'the genus. The staminate form has been described as /'oa iea:«no Vasey, 

 Contr. Nat. Herb. ii. 60 (1890). 



Eragrostis orcuttiana sp. nov. Apparently annual, culms 2 to 3 feet high, nearly 

 8imi)le, or branching below, smooth, rather stout; leaves flat or becoming some- 

 what involute, 3 to inches long, 2 to 3 lines wide, acuminate, scabrous on the 

 margins; sheaths shorter than the internodes, smooth; lignle very short, ciliate; 

 panicle spreading, 7 to 11 inches long, when expanded triangular in ©utline; 

 general rachis smooth, withotxt haii's at the axils; branches scattered or the 

 lower sometimes somewhat verticillate, subdivided nearly to the base, decom- 

 I)oimd, very floriferous; spikelets lead-colored, on capillary pedicels mostly 

 shorter than themselves, narrowly linear, about 3 lines long, 7- to 9-flowered; 

 empty glutnes purjilish, lanceolate, acute, sliorter than the floral glumes, which 

 are about 1 line long, acute, the lateral nerves prominent; palet slighty shorter 

 than the glume, narrow, 2-toothed at the apex, finely scabrous on the keel. 



Type specimen collected at San Diego, California, by C. R. Orcutt, in 1885 (No. 

 1313), and others ,at San Bernardino, California, by S. B. Tarish. Well distin- 

 guished by its largo, many-flowered panicle and slender spikelets. It is most 

 nearly related to JC. mericana Link. 



Melica inflata s]). nov. Culms bulbous at the base, rarely cespitose, 3 to 6 feet high, 

 erect, terete, smootli, and leafy; leavesGto 10 inches long, 1 to21ines wide; lignle 

 conspicuous, lacerate; panicle 6 to 10 inches long, the branches distant, the 

 lower in jiairs, one short and few-flowered, erect, the otber 1 to 3 inches long, 

 naked below, bearing 2 to 4 spikelets and .spreading; si)ikelets oblong, 6 to 9 

 lines long, cylindrie.'il at first (?), 6- to 8-flowered, the florets closely imbricated} 

 empty glumes oblong, subacute, the lower 3- to 5-, the upper 5- to 7-nerved; 



