GRASS FAMILY 



253 



77. SITANION Raf. Journ. de Phys. 89: 103. 1819. 



Spikelets 2 to few-flowered, sessile, usually 2 at each node of a disarticulating rachis, 

 the rachis breaking at base of each joint and remaining attached to spikelets above; glumes 

 narrow or setaceous, 1-3-nerved, the nerves prominent, extending into 1 to several awns, these 

 (when more than one) irregular in size, sometimes mere lateral appendages of the long 

 central awn, sometimes equal, the glume being bifid; lemmas firm, convex on the back, 

 nearly terete, the apex slightly 2-toothed. 5-nerved, the nerves obscure, the central nerve 

 extending into a long slender finally spreading awn, sometimes one or more of the lateral 

 nerves also extending into short awns ; palea firm, nearly as long as the body of the lemma, 

 the 2 keels serrulate. Low or rather tall erect cespitose perennials with bristly spikes. 

 [Greek, a kind of food.] 



Species about 6 in the dry regions of the western United States. Type species, Sitaiiion elymoides Raf. 



Glumes, or some of them, 3-nerved, lanceolate, entire or sometimes bifid. 



Plant glabrous. 1. .S". hanseui. 



Plant pubescent. 2. 6". anomalum. 



Glumes subulate or very narrow, 2-nerved, entire or cleft into 2-several lobes. 



Glumes cleft into 3-several lobes. 3. 5^. jubatum. 



Glumes entire or 2-eleft. 4. 5'. hystrix. 



1. Sitanion hanseni (Scribn. ) J. G. Smith. Hansen's Squirrel-tail. Fig. 603. 



Elxmiis hanseni Scribn. U. S. Dept. Agr. Div. Agrost. Bull. 

 "11: 56. /. 12. 1898. 



Sitanion planifolium J. G. Smith, U. S. Dept. Agr. Div. Agrost. 

 Bull. 18: 19. 1899. 



Sitanion hanseni T. G. Smith, U. S. Dept. Agr. Div. Agrost. 

 Bull. 18: 20. "1899. 



Sitanion leckenbyi Piper, Erythea 7: 100. 1899. 



Sitanion rubescens Piper, Bull. Torrey Club 30: 234. 1903. 



Elvinns leckenbyi Piper, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 11: 151. 

 "1906. 



Culms smooth and usually glaucous, 50-100 cm. 

 tall ; sheaths glabrous ; blades flat, scabrous, 2-8 mm., 

 wide ; spike somewhat nodding, 10-20 cm. long ; 

 glumes narrowly lanceolate, sometimes bifid, 2-3- 

 nerved, long-awnod ; lemmas smooth except toward 

 the scabrous tip, about 8 mm. long, the awn about 4 

 cm. long, becoming somewhat divergent. 



Open woods and rocky slopes in the Arid Transition and 

 Upper Sonoran Zones; eastern Washington to middle Cali- 

 fornia, east to Utah. Tune-Aug. Type locality: Amador 

 County, California. 



2. Sitanion anomalum J. G. Smith. 

 Slender Squirrel-tail. Fig. 604. 



Sitanion anomalum J. G. Smith, U. S. Dept. Agr. Div. Agrost. 

 Bull. 18: 20. pi. i. 1899. 



Differs from 5. hanseni in having more or less pu- 

 bescence on the culms, sheaths, and blades, and in hav- 

 ing usually narrower blades^ especially c; the numer- 

 ous innovations ; awns commonly erect or narrowly 

 ascending. 



Dry woods and rocky slopes, in the Arid Transition Zone; 

 Washington ( Wawawai, Piper) to San Luis Obispo County, 

 California. June-July. Type locality: Allen, California. 



