SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ON AMERICAN SPECIES OF 
FESTUCA. 
By CHARLES V. PIPER. 
Since the publication of his monograph of the North American 
species of Festuca,’ the author has availed himself of opportunities 
to study the type specimens of several species, which has resulted in 
clearing up various matters of synonymy. In the course of these 
studies, it also became apparent that the North American grass 
referred to Festuca fratercula Rupr. is not that plant at all, but an 
unnamed species. 
Festuca sororia sp. nov. 
Festuca fratercula Contr. U. 8S. Nat. Herb. 10: 39. 1906, as to description and 
specimens cited. 
An examination of the type of Mestuca fratercula Rupr. preserved in the 
herbarium of the Jardin Botanique de l’Etat at Brussels shows it to be a very 
different species, and one not represented in the National Herbarium. Festuca 
sororia is a rare plant occurring in Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico in 
mountain ravines. 
Type in the U. S. National Herbarium, no, 45866, collected in the Rincon 
Mountains, Arizona, altitude 225 meters, September, 1891, by G. ©. Nealley 
(no. 177). 
The species has been further collected, as follows: 
Cotorapo: Pagosa Peak, Baker 36, 75, 94, 177, 178; Durango, Tweedy 398a. 
New Mexico: Hillsboro Peak, Grant County, O. B. Metcalfe 1236. 
Festuca fratercula Rupr.;.Fourn. Mex. PI. 2: 124. 1881. 
“ Culmo fere tripedali scabro; foliis 3’’’ latis, retrorsum scabris, longis, planis, 
apice longe convolutis; ligula brevissima; panicula libera effusa fere pedali 
folium summum longe superante, radiis geminis divaricatis inaequalibus parce 
divisis; spiculis 3-floris cum terminali quarto abortivo; glumis inaequalibus 
acutis, floribus teretibus remotis, palea inferiore acuta potissimum in floribus 
summis breviter mucronata, glabra; squamulis lanceolatis ovarium aequantibus. 
“In humidis inter Pinos montis Orizabensis, 11-12000’' (Gal. n. 5778); 
Cumbre de Estepa, augusto (Liebm.).” 
To the above description the following notes may be added: Culm stout, 
smooth, bearing two leaves; lower leaf blade 20 cm. long, strongly nerved above, 
firm, scabrous on nerves and margins, attenuate-acute; ligule a fringe of short 
bristles: lower sheath 30 cm. long, smooth outside, scabrous within near the 
1Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 10: 1-48. 1906. 
197 
