1885.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 43 



2. Melica Torreyana. M. imperfecta, var. sesquifora, Torrey in Herb. 



The specimens thus ticketed by Dr. Torrey were collected in 

 California, by Dr. Bigelow, in 1853-4. 



This proposed new species is distinguished from M. imperfecta, 

 with which it is very closely allied, by its more membraneous, 

 longer and more acute glumes — the second one equaling or 

 exceeding the floret — by the hairs on the back of the flowering 

 glume above the middle and by the long-pedicelled rudimentary 

 floret, characters which seem to me to be of specific value. 



Bigelow's specimens are immature, but the typical form is well 

 represented by the specimens distributed by Bolander, Kellogg 

 & Co. (1872). In these specimens the culms are 3 ft. high or 

 more, leaves numerous, flat, 2-3 lin. wide, 6-8 in. long; ligule 3-4 

 lin. long, lacerated ; panicle 6-10 in. long, diffuse, the slender 

 flexuose branches 2-4 in. long and few-flowered at the ends, naked 

 below. The characters of the spikelets are well shown in fig. 

 3, PL I. 



Forms with two-flowered spikelets occur, but the second floret 

 and rudiment are long-pedicelled, while in similar two-flowered 

 forms of M. imperfecta, these are both nearly sessile. 



No. 13 Bolander. and No. 60*76 Bolander in part belong to 

 this species. No. 586, collected by Dr. Torrey at New Almaden, 

 California, in 1865, is a narrow-panicled form of M. Torreyana, 

 closely resembling 31. imperfecta, but at once recognized by the 

 characters above noted. 



3. Melica fugax, 1 Bolander, Proc. Calif. Acad., iv, 104: Thurber in S. Wats. Bot. 

 Calif., ii, 304. M. Oeyeri, Thurber, Bot. Wilkes' Exped., 492, not Munro. 



Hab. — California : J. G. Leinmon, 1875 ; Sierra Valley, J. G. L., 1873 

 and 1874 ; Dormer Lake, Bolander, Kellogg & Co., 1872 ; Plumas Co., Mrs. 

 Austin, 1877. Oregon : Dry mountain sides, Union Co., W. C. Cusiek, No. 

 1032, June, 1882. Washington Territory : Open pine woods, Falcon Valley, 

 W. N. Suksdorf, Nos. 61 and 16, 1883. 



In the spikelets of Melica fugax, the rhachilla is smooth, 

 thickened and of a peculiar spongy texture, quite unlike that of 

 any other North American species. 



1 The Melica, from Mt. Shasta, referred to in my List of Pringle's 

 Grasses (see Torr. Bull., x, p. 31, No. 72), is not M. fugax, nor am I able 

 to identify it with any of the known species, unless it be an unusual form 

 of At. bulbosa, Geyer. The specimens in hand are too meagre for more 

 definite conclusions. 



