108 POACEAE 
rowly ovoid, acute, 3 mm. long, the flowering scale acute, narrowly ovoid, finely trans- 
versely rugose. 
On shell islands or keys, or sometimes in old fields, southern Florida and Texas. Summer to fall. 
15. Chaetochloa villosissima Scribn. & Mer. Perennial. Stems branching at the 
base, 4-10 dm. tall, compressed, glabrous: leaf-sheaths loose, compressed, rough above, 
nearly smooth below, densely villous above ; blades linear, 1.5-3 dm. long, 6-8 mm. wide, 
tapering toward the base, pubescent on both surfaces with white spreading hairs: panicle 
about 2 dm. long, 2-3 cm. in diameter, tapering to the apex : bristles single, green, 1.5-2.5 
em. long: spikelets ovate-lanceolate, acute, 2.5-3 mm. long, the flowering scale abruptly 
short-apiculate at the incurved tip, rather finely transversely rugose below and punctate 
above. 
In dry soil, Texas. Spring and summer. 
16. Chaetochloa Grisebáchii (Fourn.) Scribn. Annual. Stems 1.5-8 dm. tall, 
branching at the base, slender, glabrous : leaf-sheaths loose, compressed, sparingly strigose, 
the margins ciliate ; blades lanceolate, slightly narrowed at the cordate base, 5-10 cm. 
long, 5-10 mm. wide, rough and sparingly short-pubescent: bristles single or in pairs, 
widely spreading, purple or sometimes green, 5-15 mm. long: spikelets ovoid, 2 mm. long, 
acute, the flowering scale nearly 2 mm. long, ovoid, acute, very finely transversely rugose 
below. 
In dry soil, Texas to Arizona. Alsoin Mexico. Spring to fall. 
17. Chaetochloa polystachya (Scheele) Seribn. & Mer. Perennial. Stems stout, 
6-12 dm. tall, branching at the base, glabrous: leaf-sheaths glabrous or sparingly pubes- 
cent, the margins ciliate: blades 1.5-3 dm. long, 1.5-2 em. wide, abruptly narrowed at the 
base, rough, the lower ones sometimes strigose: panicle lax, pale green, 1.5-3 dm. long, 
1.5-3 em. in diameter: bristles single, 8-12 mm. long, green, slender, flexuous : spikelets 
narrowly ovoid, acute, 2 mm. long, the flowering scale narrowly ovoid, acute, transversely 
undulate-rugose at the base. 
In dry soil, Texas. Summer and fall. 
18. Chaetochloa caudàta (Lam.) Seribn. Annual. Stems 3-6 dm. tall, much 
branched from the base, glabrous, slender: leaf-sheaths pubescent, ciliate on the margin ; 
blades linear, 1-3 dm. long, 3-5 mm. wide, pubescent, filiform-attenuate at the apex: 
oe 5-15 cm. long, attenuate, the rachis slender and flexuous, pilose : bristles single, 
exuous, 4-10 mm. long: spikelets ovoid, acute, the flowering scale ovoid, acute, short- 
apiculate, transversely undulate-rugose below. 
In dry soil, New Jersey to Florida and Alabama. Also in tropical America. Spring to fall. 
36. CENCHRUS L. 
Annual or perennial grasses, with flat, convolute or complanate leaf-blades and terminal 
spikes. Spikelets 2-6, in an ovate or globose involucre, consisting of two thick hard 
valves which are exteriorly armed with stout spines and sometimes also with basal bristles 
which are thickened at the base, the involucres articulated to the rachis and readily de- 
ciduous, carrying the persistent spikelets with them. Scales 4, awnless, the first and sec- 
ond empty, the first small or minute, the third equalling or longer than the second, enclos- 
ing a palet and also sometimes a staminate flower, the fourth scale chartaceous, firmer, 
enclosing a palet of similar texture and a perfect flower. Stamens 3. Styles often connate 
at the very base. Stigmas plumose. BurGrass. SAND Bur. SanpSpur. CocKSPUR. 
Involucre armed at the base: 5 
With shorter generally reflexed spines, the base of the involuere glabrous: in- 
volucres containing 2 spikelets. 
Involucre pubescent : : : 
Usually less than 5 mm. broad. 1. €. tribuloides. 
6-8 mm. broad. 250: macrocephalus. 
Involuere glabrous. 3. C. gracillimus. 
With erect barbed bristles, the base of the involucre villous: involucres con- j 
taining 4-6 spikelets. 4. C. echinatus. 
Involuere naked at the base. 5. C. incertus. 
1. Cenchrus tribuloides L. Stems at first erect, later prostrate and forming mats, 
2-6 dm. long, branching: leaf-sheaths compressed ; blades 6-12 cm. long, 4-8 mm. wide, 
smooth or rough, usually flat : spikes 3-6 em. long: involucres 6-20, 3-5 mm. broad, en- 
closing 2 spikelets, pubescent, the spines 3-4 mm. long: spikelets 6-7 mm. long, usually 
not exserted beyond the involucre. 
In dry sandy places, Massachusetts, Ontario, Minnesota and Nebraska to Florida, Texas and 
Mexico. Very variable. Spring to fall. 
