

98 



MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 





stems commonly robust, 1 to 8 dm. tall, smooth, leafy; 

 leaf-blades flat, linear, 3 to 25 cm. long, 3 to 10 mm. wide, 

 smooth above, sometimes sparsely pubescent beneath, some- 

 times slightly ciliate on the margins, acuminate at the 

 apex; sheaths smooth on the upper part of the stem, 

 sometimes pubescent on the lower part; spikelets sessile, 

 2 to 8 together in the capitate clusters, ovoid or ovoid- 

 oblong, 6 to 12 mm. long, 5 to 8 mm. in diameter; scales 



obovate or oblong, brown, pubescent, 3-nerved, each 



tipped with 



a s 



hort, slender, spreading awn ; sepals 3 ; 





blades ovate-oblong, obtuse or retuse at the apex, the 

 retrorsely-barbed awn arising from just below the apex, 

 sometimes wanting ; perianth-bristles retrorsely-hispid, 

 equaling or exceeding the short-stalked achene ; achenes 

 triquetrous, fully 1 mm. long, bright white at maturity. 

 Sandy plains and saline soil, Nebraska (?), Missouri and 

 Kansas, to western Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico and 

 Mexico. Summer and autumn. 



Specimens examined. — Missouri: Courtney, Bush 

 223, October 24, 1897 (M); Irondale, Glaffelter, August 

 21, 1895 (M); Annapolis, Russell, September 25, 1899 

 (M); Piedmont, Russell, date of collection not given 

 (M). Arkansas: Fulton County, BlanMn&hip , August, 

 1888 (N). Indian Territory: Sapulpa, Bush 1400, 

 September 29, 1895 (M); Sand banks of the Canadian 

 River, Bigelow, 1853-54 (N). Kansas:' Comanche 

 County, Hitchcock 861, 1896 (M N). Texas: Dallas, 





Beverchon 2301, August 10, 1900 



3602, 1880 (M), 



1000, 1880 (M), Letterman, 1881 (N) ; Squaw Creek, Gil- 

 lespie County, Jenny 538, 1389 (N) ; Moore County, Carle- 

 ton 426, August, 1891 (N); San Antonio, Bush 1224, 

 October 2, 1900 (M N), Eggert, September 8, 1900 (M); 

 Kerrville, Hdler 1937, June 26-30, 1894 ( B M N) ; Colum- 

 bia, Bash 1312, October 5, 1900 (M) ; Orange, Letterman 

 547, August 11, 1886 (M) ; New Braunfels, Lindheimer 184, 





