55 



6- to lO-flowered; empty glnraes lanceolate, very acute, or siibaristato-pointed, 

 rigid, subeciua], about 12 mm. long, 3-nerved, scabrous on the nerves. First 

 flowering glume Aery firm in texture, a little longer than the emi)ty ones, broadly 

 lanceolate, sharply acuminate or subaristate-poiuled, 5-nerved, nerves visible 

 only near the apex, scabrous on tlie back, and covered with a short pubescence 

 which is most conspicuous near the l>ase and margins. I'alea nearly as long 

 as the glume, oblong-lanceolate, strougly two-keeled, keels very lirm and rigid 

 and minutely aculeolate-scabrons excepting toward the base, apex truncate 

 and minutely pubescent. Stamens 5 mm. long. 



On sandy bars and banks, Snake River, Washington, not pleutiful (No. 759, A. D. E. 

 Elmer, June, 1897). 



This species is chiefly distinguished from Adropijron spiratiim by its stouter, taller, 

 and straw-like culms and larger spikelets. Some robust forms of Aifropyron 

 spicaUm, as, for example, No. 2271, P. A. Eydberg, July 27, 1895, are hardly to 

 be distinguished from this species, so far as the character of the spike and 

 spikelets are concerned. The coarse, straw-like culms of Agropyron elmeri may 

 be due to the nature of the soil in which the plants grew. 



AGROPYRON BREVIFOLIUM Scribn., sp. u. (PI. XIII. j 



A slender, densely ca^spitose species with the smooth culms, which are from 3 to 4 

 dm. high, usually geniculate at the lower joints, rather short, flat leaves and 

 slender sjjikes 1 to S cm. long. Lowermost sheaths scarious and somewhat pur- 

 plish, glabrous and smooth. Ligule short, usually with long sickle-shaped 

 auricles. Leaf-blades of the culm leaves 3 to 6 or 7 cm. long, 2 to 4 mm. wide. 

 Those on the innovations somewhat longer and narrower, all very acute, upjier 

 surface minutely strigose-scabrous, very smootli beneath. Axis of the spike 

 readily breaking up. Spikelets approximate, usually 3-flowered, 10 to 15 mm. 

 long. Empty glumes subequal, or the lirst a little shorter than the second, 

 narrowly lanceolate short awn-])ointed, 2- to 3-nerved, scabrous on the keel. 

 Flowering glumes of the first floret about 1 em. long, 5-nerved, nerves slightly 

 conspicuous near the apex, scabrous on the back, especially toward the tip, 

 which is entire or slightly 2-toothed, the midvein extending into an awn 2 to 4 

 mm. long. Palea as long as the glume, oblong-lanceolate, truncate, minutely 

 aculeolate-scabrous along the sharp keels excepting near the base; the truncate 

 apex minutely pubescent. 



Mountain sides. North Fork Bridge Creek, altitude 1,800 meters, Washington State 

 (No. 676, A. D. E. Elmer, September, 1897). 



Allied to Ayropyron •violaceum; readily distinguished by its narrower glumes and 

 shorter, narrow leaves. 



ELYMUS CAPITATUS Scrihn., sp. u. (Plate XIV.) 



A stout, coarse, glaucous perennial with loose sheaths, rather broad, flat leaves and 

 densely flowered, ovate or oblong spikes 8 to 15 cm. long. Culms about 6 dm. 

 high, softly pubescent below the inliorescence, otherwise glaljrous. Sheaths 

 glabrous, striate, smooth. Ligule very short, irregularly cut and minutely 

 fringed along the edge. Leaf-l)lades varying in wiilth from 2 or 3 mm. in the 

 sterile shoots to 1 oi' 2 cm. in those of the culm, attenuate-pointed, glabrous and 

 smooth Ijeneath, strigose-scabrous above, apex very sharp and rigid. Spikelets 

 about 2.5 to 3 cm. long, compressed, 3- to 5-flowered. Glumes finely and closely 

 pubescent, sparingly pilose with longer hairs. Outer glumes lanceolate-acumi- 

 nate, a little shorter than the spikelet, 2 to 3 mm. broad, with scarious margins. 

 Flowering glumes 20 to 25 mm. long, acuminate-pointed, 7-nerved, with broad 

 scarious margins, apex mucronate-pointed, acute, or slightly rounded; palea a 

 little shorter than the glume, finely and closely pubescent on the back and on 

 the rather broad margins. Grain linear, as long as the palea which loosely 

 embraces it. 



