51 



Bromus wilMenmrii Kunth, Rev. Gram. 1 : 134. 1835. Cenilorhlua mbmutica 

 Stend. (?) Syn. PI. dram. 321. 1S.54. (Fig. 30. ) 



A rather stout annual, with erect or suberect panicle and strongly compressed oblong- 

 lanceolate spikelets. Culms glabrous, ab uit 5-10 dm. high. Sheaths usually 

 pilose-pubescent, sometimes smooth, typically with a tuft of hairs at the l)ase 

 of the ligule; ligule about 3-4 mm. long, somewhat laciniate on the margin; 

 blades linear, scabrous on both sides or sparingly pilose-pubescent. Panicle 

 it,^ualh/ clotigaed <iad narrow pyramidal, 1.5-3.5 dm. long; lower branches 2-4, 

 short in small forms, to rather long, spreading, or somewhat drooping in the 

 larger < )nes. Spikelets 2-3. 5 cm. long, 

 5-9 nun. broad, about 7-il-flowered; 

 empty glumes broad, subacute, smooth 

 or slightly scabrous, the lower usually 

 5-nerved, 7-10 mm. long, the upper 

 usually 7-nerved, 10-13 mm. long; 

 flowering glumes broadly lanceolate, 

 acute, subcoriaceous, subglabrous to 

 coarsely scabrous, slightly bidentate 

 at the apex, about 13-16 mm. long, 

 usually with a short stout awn, rarely 

 exceeding 2 mm. long ; palea beticeen 

 one-half and thrff-finirth.'i the length of it-^ 

 glume. 



General distribution: .\labamato Califor- 

 nia and southward. Perhaps intro- 

 duced throughout most of our range. 

 Occasionally met with in other South- 

 ern States. 



Type grown at Berlin from seed sent from 

 Carolina. 



Specimens ex.\.mixed. — Alabama: Mont- 

 gomery (C. Mohr in 1868); Auburn 

 (Earle & Baker 1502). Loumana: 

 Calhoun (C. K. Ball 76). Texas: San 

 Antonio (A. W. Barr 1873) ; Riddle- 

 ville (W. S. Rucknmn in 1885) . Netv 

 Mexico: (A. Femller 918 — an imma- 

 ture plant approaching jB. polyanthus 

 panicalatus) . Arizona: Pipe Spring 

 (M. E. Jones 5272i) ; Tucson (J. W. 

 Toumey 28). California: Kern 

 County (A. B. Leckenby in 1896) . 



Bro)nu.'< catharticusYahl, 1. c, judgingfrom 

 the original description, is but a mere 

 form of this species, and Avere it not for the reference to Feuillee's plate (Jour. 

 Obs. Phys., etc., de 1' Amerique IMerid. & Ind. Occ. 1) as representing the plant, 

 we should not hesitate about adopting the name; but after examining a tracing 

 of the plate kindly furnished by Dr. Robinson, we are inclined to think that 

 there is a mistake, either in our interpretation of Vahl's description, or in his 

 reference to Feuillee's plate, as that does not represent our plant. ( )nly an exam- 

 ination of Vahl's type will settle the question conclusively. Bromus submuticus 

 Steud 1. c, collected at St. Louis, judging from the original description, belongs 

 here. We have been unable thus far to locate the type specimen, so the matter 

 still remains in some doubt. 



Fig. 31. — Broii/Ks (nii<iloidc< lin'iikiuiin^: a, empty 

 glumes with two florets; b, dorsal view of a flow- 

 ering glume. 



