8G Rhodora [May 



are striking features suggesting relationship with the Aveneae as indi- 

 cated by the earUer authors. The hal)it of the phint, the character of 

 the inflorescence, the texture and nervation of the glumes, the inequal- 

 ity and length of the outer ones, the hairiness of the rachilla, and the 

 occasional presence of an awn below the apex of the floral glumes all 

 point to a close relationshij) with Trisrtum. The entire absence of 

 the awn in the specimens first described has been the stumbling block 

 a])parently, leading various authors to erroneous conclusions. As al- 

 ready noted, the reduction of the awn in length sometimes to a mere 

 mucronate point or even its entire sui)pression is not uncommon among 

 the Aveneae. In Arena, the cultivated oat is often awnless; the awns 

 are very variable in Deschampsia rae.s-pifo.sa; in Tri.srtiini fhfohaSvrWyn. 

 the awns are very short (less than 1 mm.), while in T. filifolium puhe.s- 

 cens they are well developed (3-4 mm.); T. muflnim (Thurb.) Scribn. 

 has both short-awned and awnless spikelets; while in T. monfatiinn 

 Vasey short-awned forms also occur. 



At the Philadelphia meeting of the A. A. A. S. in 1S84, Dr. Vasey 

 {)resented a paper in which he pointed out the close relationship of 

 Eafonia with Triseiuvi, concluding with the statement "that Eatouia 

 and Eriseium are very closely related, and should both be in the sec- 

 tion Avenaceae, as also should some species of the genus Graphc- 

 phorvmr (Bot. Gaz. 9: Kw. 1884) The species of drapliephorum 

 referred to by Dr. \'asey were (/. vu'liroi(]eum Desv. and G. Wolfii 

 Vasey. The relationship of these with Tri.setum was discussed by the 

 present writer at the .same meeting, and published in connection with 

 Dr. Vasey's communication. (Bot. Gaz. 1. c. figs. 4-5) The writer 

 here .says, quoting a letter from Dr. Vasey: " Graphrphnnim meli- 

 roide.t should be Trisetum mrliroules; or if a genus (Graphephorum) 

 be made for it, it should come next to Triseinm or .4 vena, for it is evi- 

 dently Avenaceous," Here we have the first definite reference of 

 Graphephorvm melicoideum to Trm'fuvi. More recent investigations 

 and present very careful study of the entire subject, aided by the ample 

 material in the National Herbarium, have only served to establish 

 more firmly the conclusions set forth by Dr. Vasey. 



Tkisetum melicoideum (Michx.) Vasey, Bot. (iaz. 9: 169, 1894; 

 Aira melicoide.s Mk'hx. Flor. Bor. Am. 1:()2, 1803; Graphcphorum 

 vielicnideiwi Desv. Nouv. Bull. Soc. Philom. 2:189, 1810; Beauv. 

 Agrost. 70, PI. 15, fifj. 8, 1812; Scribn. U. S. Dept. Agr. Div. Agros. 

 Bui. 20, fig. 121, 1900. 



