1885.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 41 



Panicle narrow, the slender branches erect, or the lower 



slightly divergent, pedicels flexuose or recurved, densely 



pubescent. M. Porteri. 5. 



Empty glumes unequal, the second nearly or quite as long (6-8 



lin.) as the 4-6-flowered spikelets. 



Panicle with 6-15 large, pendulous spikelets forming a simple 



secund raceme. M. stricta. 6. 



Panicle strict, densely many-flowered above, interrupted 



below, branches and short, straight pedicels erect. 



M. frutescens. 1 7. 



Empty glumes subequal, nearly as long (4-5 lin.) as the 



2-flowered spikelets. 



Panicle few-flowered, sparingly branched below, often reduced 



to a simple raceme. M. mutica. 8. 



Culms bulbous at base (excepting in occasional samples of No. 10). 



The second glume decidedly shorter than the third. 



Panicle nodding, loosely few-flowered, the slender branches 

 erect spreading, flowering glume very broadly acuminate, 

 obtuse or notched at the tip, terminal floret acute. 



M. spectabile. 9. 

 The second glume as long as the third. 



Panicle erect, densely many-flowered, branched below, spicate 

 above, spikelets about 4 lin. long, with about 3 perfect 

 florets the rudimentary one obtuse. M. Calif ornica. 10. 



Panicle erect, branches appressed, few-flowered, spikelets 5-6 



lin. long, with 5-8 perfect flowers, terminal floret acute. 



M. bulbosa. 11. 

 I 3. BROMELICA. 



Spikelets of 3S perfect florets, the lower exceeding the empty glumes ; lotcer 

 palet prominently 7-nerved, apiculate or distinctly awned by the excurrent 

 midnerve at the notched or bifid or narrowly truncate or rarely long 

 attenuated tip (Thurber). 



Culms bulbiferous, panicle with spreading, very unequal few- 

 flowered rays, the upper rays and spikelets mostly solitary. 

 Flowering glumes smooth or minutely scabrous, notched at the 

 acute tip, the midnerve ending as a short point or awn 

 between the teeth. 31. bromoides. 12. 



1 Melica frutescens approaches, by intermediate forms, very closely to M. 



California, but the membraneous character of its glumes, the unusual 



length of the outer ones, and the comparatively short palea (this being 



scarcely half as long as its glume) suggest a nearer relationship with M.stricta. 



4 



