and many very different forms have been referred to it. It apparently 

 presents constant characters and, so far as onr herbarium material shows, 

 is confined to Indian Territory, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. It is 

 readily distinguished from Arisfida IcDigiseta Steud., by its lax halnt of 

 growth, slender culms, smaller spikelets. shorter awns, tuberculate-rough- 

 ened flowering glume and awned empty glumes. 



Aristida purpurea micrantha Vasey, Contr. XJ. S. Nat. Herb. 3: 47. 1893. {Ai'is- 

 tidafasciciilata micrmithn Beal, Grasses N. A. 2: 207. 189(i). 



A very slender form with pale, lax panicles, the Hexuous branches capillary, 

 spreading or reflexed ; spikelets smaller than in the species, the flowering 

 glume. 6 to 8 mm. long, very slightly scabrous or nearly smooth. 



General distribution.— Texas to New Mexico (Mexico). 



Specimens examined. — Te.ca.s.- Corpus Christi. 85 W. H. Ravenel, April JiO, 1869; 

 Western Texas, U3 C. Wright, October, 1849; San Diego, J. G. Smith, June 

 12, 1897; Del Rio, 82 E. N. Plank, December, 1891 ; no locality, S. B. Buck- 

 ley, 1883; G. C. Nealley, 1888, 1889 (type); 563 F. Lindheimer, 1846; 2U04 

 C. Wright, 1851-52. 



This variety is distinguished from the species by its smaller spikelets, more lax 

 panicles, the branches often somewhat spreading and fiexuous, and usually 

 nearly glabrous flowering glumes. 



ARISTIDA PURPUREA ^EQUIRAMEA (Scheele). {Aristida ccqniramea 

 Scheele, Limu^a 22 : o43. 1849. {Aristida filipendida Buckley, Proc. Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862:93. 1862; Aristida purpurea californica Vasey, 

 Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 3:47. 1892; Aristida fascicidata californicaYsbHey 

 in Beal, Grasses N. A. 2 : 207. 1896. ) 



A rather stout, tufted, glabrous form 4 to 8 dm, high with simple culms, invo- 

 lute rigid leaves, erect or ascending panicle branches and very tuberculate- 

 scabrous flowering glumes. Ligiile a short ciliate ring; leaf-blades 8 to 15 

 cm. long, 1 to 2 mm. wide, involute. Panicles purplish, the branches capil- 

 lary, generally erect or ascending, sometimes somewhat flexuose, usually 

 many flowered, 3-5 at each node. Spikelets pale or purplish; second empty 

 glume twice as long as the first, equaling the flowering glnme, both cleft at 

 the apex, the midnerve excurrent as a scabrous awn 1 to 2 mm. long ; flower- 

 ing glume about 10 mm. long, strongly tuberculate-scabrous. Awns sub- 

 equal, 5 to 7 cm. long. 



General distribution. — In dry soil, Texas to California. 



Sppx'IMENS examined.— 2V.to.s-.- no locality, 1409 bis, J. Reverchon; 562 F. Lind- 

 heimer, 1846; G. C. Nealley, 1887; Abilene, H. L. Bentley, 1899. Arizotia: 

 J. G. Lemmon, 1882. California: San Jacinto, 1549 S. B. & W. F. Parish, 

 June, 1882; near San Bernardino, 2123 S. B. Parish, May 15, 1891, also 3668 

 S. B. Parish, May 20, 1895; Capon Valley, 5474 J. G. Lemmon, May, 1891. 



This variety was based on a specimen collected in Texas by Lindheimer, no 

 number cited, but doubtless the form distributed under 562 as Aristida 

 cequiramea Scheele, as this specimen agrees perfectly with Scheele's desc-rip- 

 tion. The plant in the Herbarium of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural 

 Sciences under this number is identical with the same number in the U. S. 

 National Herbarium and is labeled by Buckley "Aristida filipendula," and 

 is the form to which Buckley's description applies. Another specimen in 

 the herbarium so labeled by Buckley is a form of Aristida americana Linn. 

 Aristida purpurea californica Vasey, was based on number 1549 S. B. and 

 W. F. Parish, cited above. 



This variety is distinguished from the species by its larger size, usually more 

 densely flowered panicles, longer awns, more prominently awned empty 

 glumes and more strongly tuberculate-scabrous flowering glume. 



