44 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1885. 



4. Melica diffusa, Pursh Flor., i, 77 ; Kunth En. PL i, 377 ; Stendel Gram., 291 : M. 

 altistima, Walt, Flor. Carol., 78. M. glabra, Michx., i, 62 (in part). M. mutica, 

 var. diffusa, Gray in Man., 626. M. scahra, Nutt., Fl. Ark., 148. 



Var. nitens. — .1/. nitcns, Nutt. in Herb. Phila. Acad. M. mutica, Torr. in Marcy's 

 Rept. 



Differs from the species in its more leafy culms, narrower 

 leaves, more densely flowered panicle, and in its much broader 

 and more unequal outer glumes, the second one being nearly as 

 long as the spikelet. 



Distribution. — Pennsylvania, Illinois, southward and westward to 

 Texas. The variety = No. 3464 a, Curtiss' Distribution N. Am. Plants, 

 coll. in Texas by J. Reverchon ; also 389, Lindheimer, and 2062, C. Wright. 

 Nos. 729, Lindheimer (1847), and 769, C. Wright (1849), belong to the 

 species. 



b. Melica Porteri, Scribner in Rusby's Arizona plants, No. 881^, 188:?, and in 

 Pringle's distribution of 1884. M. mutica, var. parviflora, T. C. Porter in 

 Porter <fc Coulter's Fl. of Colorado, 149 ; M. stricta, Brandegee, Fl. Southwestern 

 Colorado, p. 244. 

 Hab. — Colorado: Glen Eyrie, near Colorado City, T. C. Porter, July, 

 1872, and August, 1873. "This Melica, which I have from several stations 

 in Colorado, I am now inclined to think a good species, as you do." T. C. 

 P. inlitt., December, 1882; Chiann Canon, M. E. Jones, No. 1550, June, 

 1879 ; Canon of the Rio La Plata, and Parrott City (alt., 8500 ft.), T. S. 

 Brandegee ; Hall and Harbour, No. 228. Arizona : Rusby, 1883 ; Santa 

 Rita Mts., Pringle, 1884 ; Sierra Blanca, J. T. Rothrock, No. 805, 1874; J. 

 G. Lemmon, 1884 (specimens differing from the type in their smaller spike- 

 lets, scarcely exceeding 4 lin. in length, while in the ordinary forms they 

 are two lines longer). New Mexico : C. Wright, No. 2063, 1851, and 

 Fendler, No. 924, 1847 ; G. R. Vasey, No. 142, July, 1881. Texas : Chixos 

 Mts., V. Havard, No. 19, 1883 (a small flowered form like that collected by 

 Lemmon in Arizona). 



6. Melica stricta, Bolander, Proc. Cal. Acad., iii, 1863, p. 4, and iv, p. 104; Watson, 

 Bot. King's Exped., 384; Thurb. in S. Wats. Bot. Cal., ii, 303. 

 Hab. — California: Virginia City, Bolander, No. 47; Toscmite Valley. 

 Bolander, No. 6089, 1866; Sierra Co., J. G. Lemmon, No. 223, 1874; 

 Bolander, Kellogg & Co., 1872 (alt. 7000 ft.); Sierra Nevada, "crevices 

 of high rocks, 9000 ft.," E. L. Greene, No. 417, Oct., 1884 ; same district, 

 alt. 9500 ft., C. G. Pringle, Sept., 1882 ; Plumas Co., R. M. Austin, 1878 ; 

 Soda Springs, alt. 9000 ft., M. E. Jones, July, 1881 ; "Dry ridges, among 

 rocks," Bear Valley, San Bernardino Mts., Parish Bros., No. 1553, Aug., 

 1882. Nevada: East Humboldt Mts., alt. 8000 ft., Aug., and Pah Ute 

 Mts., alt. 5500 ft., June, S. Watson, No. 1305, 1868. 



Note. — The inflorescence of this alpine species is similar to 

 that of M. Porteri, but the panicle is much shorter, with only 

 about a dozen spikelets, rarely more than 20, and the spikelets 

 themselves are very much larger. 



