GRIFFITHS-—THE GRAMA GRASSES. 409 
In southern Arizona there is a plant which has heretofore passed for B. bromoides, 
so called. It is erect and has comparatively delicate stems and leaves. In southern 
Texas, where the soil is more fertile, precipitation more abundant, and shade of shrub- 
bery a more important factor, it has a lighter green color and the culms are more 
inclined to become geniculate and often are decidedly so. In portions of the Mexican 
highland, where I judge the conditions are similar to those of Texas, upon the ocean 
slopes and apparently in portions of South and Central America the characteristics 
of the Texas form are accentuated and the culms are decidedly geniculate and much 
branched. In the West Indian islands the plant becomes still more modified into 
an exceedingly variable form which is often depau- 
perate, prostrate, or even slightly stoloniferous. In 
the entire series I have as yet found no constant floral 
distinctions except that the West Indian plants often 
have greatly reduced spikes and prominently modi- 
fied spikelets, which, however, always have typical 
ones mixed with them. 
As stated above the Arizona-Texas plant has in 
the past been referred to B. bromoides. It extends 
ina typical form throughout the Mexican highland 
at least as far as the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The 
geniculate Mexican form received the specific name 
jiliformis from Fournier and the West Indian plant 
was called Heterosteca juncifolia by Desvaux. For 
the present it seems wise to recognize Desvaux’s 
species, although unfortunately his name can not be 
used, and to include under that of Fournier the two 
forms of the Mexican highland, one of which reaches 
Arizona and is somewhat modified in Texas, Should 
it appear wise in the future to separate these two 
forms the erect one so typical of southern Arizona and 
the highland of Mexico will have to receive a new 
name, 
HERBARIUM SPECIMENS. 
West Inpres: Wright 3816, Cuba. Ricksecker 78, St. 
Croix. Broadway, Tempe, St. George. Hart 559, \ "ae 
Gordon Town, Jamaica. Eggers 687, %t. Thomas; Fig. 57.—Boutcloua americana. a, 
5650, Scarborough, Tabago Island. Spikclet; b,c, lemma and palet of 
. first floret; d, rudiment; e, two 
Panama: [Hitchcock 8409. views of caryopsis. a, Scale 5; b-e, 
There are two specimens, Elliot 138, Granada, and —_ “!@ 10. From Wright 3816. 
Duss 3160, Guadaloupe, which appear a little different in habit. They are mainly 
larger, ranker plants with even laxer spikes and with slightly shorter awns.¢ 
29. Bouteloua repens (H. B. K.) Scribn. & Merr. 
Dinebra repens H. B. K. Nov.Gen. & Sp. 1: 172. pl. 52.1816, ‘‘Crescit ad littora 
Oceani Pacifici prope Acapulco.”’ My interpretation of this is based upon the figures 
and descriptions. 
? Bouteloua bromoides Lag. Gen. & Sp. Nov. 5. 1816. Lagasca says the plant is 
from Acapulco, which is the only reason for referring it to B. repens. He also says it 
is an annual, but this would be an easy mistake to make, A later specimen from 
a Only the specimens in the National Herbarium are before me, as the last work on 
this group is done; consequently, citation of specimens can not be as ample as it other- 
wise might be. 
