11 



This grass is the largest aud most robust species of SifanioiK It belongs to the 

 S. mnltisetum group, dittering froui all other species iu the A-ery large spike and 

 exceptionally long awu of the flowering glume. 



2. SIT ANION VILLOSUM .1. G. Smith, sp. nov. PI. I. 



Culms stout, erect, or slightly geniculate, 2 to 3 dm. high, densely leafy at the base, 

 forming close, matted tufts. Sheaths rather densely hirsute, the lower strict, 

 the uppermost somewhat inflated, scabrous. Ligule almost obsolete. Blades 

 short, rigid, ascending or divaricate, flnely strigose-pubescent aud more or less 

 densely hirsute, scabrous along the cartilaginous margin.s, linear-lanceolate, 

 acuminate, puugently-pointed, 4 to 8 cm. long, about 3 mm. wide, flat, or at 

 length involute. Spike G to 8 cm. long, subflexuous, its base inclosed in the 

 greatly elongated uppermost leaf-sheath. Empty glume 3- to 7- or 8-parted 

 from near the base, each lobe a very slender, scabrous, divaricate awn from 2.5 

 to 8 cm. long. Lowest floret usually sterile, its glume many-parted, like the 

 empty glumes. Perfect florets 1 or 2. Flowering glume about 8 mm. long, 

 obli(iuely lanceolate, smooth and shining at the base, scabrous for the upper 

 two-thirds, 3-awued, the middle awn rather stout, divergent, 8 to 10 cm. long, 

 the lateral ones very slender, 5 to 10 ram. long Palca as long as the flowering 

 glume, obtuse, acute, or with two short, slender awns at the apex. Internodes 

 of the rachis 4 to 5 mui. long, linear-compressed, glabrous. 



Type collected by A. D. E, Elmer, No. 266, on rocky hilltops, Almota, Whitman 

 County, Wash., June 13, 1896; also collected by C. V. Piper, Xo. 2.598, on dry, 

 gravelly prairies, Spokane, June 2.5, 1897; aud Hobert M. Horner, No. 574, 

 Waitsburg, Wash., June 3, 1897. 



This species may be separated from Sitanion pohjantherlx, to which it is closely 

 related, by the short, rigid, hirsute basal culm leaves. 



3. SITANION MULTISETUM J. G. Smith, sp. nov. 



Culms 3 to 5 dm. high, terete, striate, glabrous or .minutely strigose-pubescent, erect 

 or slightly geniculate, much branched from the very base. Sheaths rather loose, 

 open at the throat, scarious along the margins above, strigose-pubescent and 

 hirsute on the back, mostly longer than the internodes. Ligule very short, 

 membranaceous. Blades 5 to 10 cm. long, rigid, erect or ascending, linear, acute 

 and puugently pointed, flat, becoming involute, sparsely hirsute on the back, 

 scabrous on the margins, hirsute and scabrous along the prominent nerves above. 

 Spike erect, 5 to 8 cm. long. Spikelets two at each node but usually only one 

 bearing perfect florets. Empty glumes many-parted nearly to the base, the 

 slender, ascending, scabrous awns varying from 1 to 5 or rarely 8 cm. long. 

 Lowest flowering glume of the sterile spikelet subulate, resembling the segments 

 of the empty glumes, but somewhat lanceolate at the base. Flowering glume 

 of the fertile spikelet about 8 or 9 mm. long, linear-lanceolate, rounded on the 

 back, smooth aud shining below, keeled and scabrous above, 3-awned, the middle 

 awn stout, rigid, scabrous, 5 to 6 cm. long, the lateral ones slender, 3 to 8 mm, 

 long. Palea as long as the flowering glume, acute or bicuspidate. Internodes 

 of the rachis compressed, spatulate above, smooth and shining, scabrous along 

 the margins, 4 to 5 mm. long. 



Type specimen collected by Coville and Funston. Xo. 1121, Tehachapi Valley, Kern 

 County, Cal., June 25, 1891. Other specimens which may be referred to this are 

 Samuels, No. 225, Sonoma County, Cal. ; a specimen collected by Bolander at San 

 Francisco without date or number ; Dr. Palmer, No. 2422, Petaluma, 1892 ; Hansen, 

 No. 617, Clinton, Amador County, June 30, 1893 ; a specimen marked "J. A. Allen, 

 California ; " and L. Schoenefeldt, No. 3439, Nachoguero Valley, Lower California, 

 June 14, 1894. 

 It diff"ers from SUaiiion pohjanlherix and .?. hreviaristatnm iu the very much longer and 

 more rigid, erect or ascending awns of the empty glumes, and the leaves hirsute 

 dorsally toward the base and along the nerves above. 



