1906] Lamson-Scribner, The Genus Sphenopholis 141 



Bentham in 1883 (Gen. PI. 3: 1184) recognized two species with 

 possibly a third, while Hackel in Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 

 (1887) gives the number of species as two. 



As already pointed out the genus has no available name and I 

 venture to propose the name Sphenopholis, or wedge-scale, referring 

 to the wedge-shajied second glume of some of the species when viewed 

 from the side. I have reduced the thirteen species pubhshed under 

 Eaionia to four with five subspecies. 



Eatonia obtusata (Mx.) <^ray 1 Sphenophohs obfusata (Mx.) 

 pubescen.s b. & M. ^ sib,pe4, hhata (Trin.), 

 robusta, Rydb. pubescens (Scribn. & Merr.) 



densmora tourn. J 



" pennsvlvanica A. Gray ] Sphenopholis pallens 

 pallens, S. & M. " _ (Spreng.) 



" longiflora Vasey. [ subspecies major (Torr.), 



" intermedia Rydh. J longiflora (Vasey.) 



" nitida Nash. ) 



" glabra Xash. \ = Sphenophohs tiifida (Spr.) 



" Dudleyi, J subspecies glabra (Xash.) 



" fihformis Vasey, ] 



" hvbrida Beal, \ = Sphenopholis filijormis (Chapm.; 

 aristata S. & M. J 



Three species of Trisetuvi are transferred to the genus Spheno- 

 pholis, viz. T. inierrupium Buckl. with subspecies ralifornira (Vasey), 

 Trisetum Hallii Scribn. and Trispfum palustre Trin. with new sub- 

 species flexuosa, making in all seven species with seven subspecies. 



I have referred to the close relationship of the genus Eatonia with 

 Trisetum in more than one jniblicationand a recent carefvil examination 

 of the ample material in the National and Gray Herbaria has only 

 served to convince me that Trinius was correct in referring the species 

 to the Aveneac. With one exception none of the species is entirely 

 awnless and the only constant character which serves to separate them 

 from Trisetum is the articulation of the rachilla below the spikelet. 

 This character is especially pronounced in S. interruptum and S. Hallii. 

 I regard this character of good generic value; in this case at least it 

 brings together a very natural group of species. All the species vary 

 from wholly glabrous to more or less densely pubescent; there is a 

 general resemblance throughout in the characters of the inflorescence 

 especially in the details; in the dissimilarity of the outer glumes 



