POACEAE. 41 



empty, unequal, shorter than the flowering ones, keeled, 

 1-nerved or the second 3-nerved; flowering glumes mem- 

 branous, keeled, 3-nerved. Palea shorter than the 

 glumes, prominently 2-nerved or 2-keeled, usually per- 

 sisting on the rachilla after the glume has fallen. Sta- 

 mens 2-3. Styles distinct, short. Grain free, loosely 

 enclosed in the glume and palea. 



1. E. megastachya Link. Culms 2-6 dm. high, erect or decum- 

 bent at base, usually branched, smooth; sheaths shorter than the 

 internodes, sparingly pilose at the throat, otherwise smooth; blades 

 5-15 cm. long, 2-6 mm. wide, flat, smooth beneath, scabrous above; 

 panicle 5-15 cm. long, the branches spreading or ascending, 2-4 cm. 

 long; spikelets 8-35-flowered, 5-15 mm. long, about 3 mm. wide, 

 flat; empty glumes obtuse, 2-2.5 mm. long, lateral nerves prominent. 



Along ditches and streams about Los Angeles and Santa Ana. 



2. E. pilosa (L.) Beauv. Annual, 4-5 dm. high, somewhat tufted, 

 smooth; sheaths smooth, shorter than the internodes; leaves flat, 

 8-15 cm. long, smooth; panicle spreading, 15-30 cm. long; rays 

 decompound, smooth or slightly bearded in the axils; spikelets on 

 pedicels 4-8 mm. long, narrowly linear, 5-8 mm, long, 7-20-flowered, 

 dark lead color or purplish; empty glumes lanceolate, first 1.5 mm. 

 long, second 2 mm. long, flowering glume ovate, 1.5-1.8 m_m. long; 

 palea about equaling its glume, scaberulous on the keel; grain 1 mm. 

 long. (£. orcuttiana Vasey.) 



Occasional along irrigating ditches about San Bernardino and 

 Santa Ana. 



28. KOELERIA.Pers. 



Tufted annual or perennial grasses with flat or seta- 

 ceous leaves and mostly spike-like panicles. Spikelets 

 2-5-flowered. The 2 outer glumes empty, narrow, un- 

 equal, acute, keeled, scarious on the margins; flowering 

 glumes 3-5-nerved. Palea hyaline, acute, 2-keeled. 

 Stamens 3. Styles very short. Grain free, enclosed in 

 the glume and palea. 



1. K. cristata (L.) Pers. Perennial; culms erect, tufted, 3-7 dm. 

 high; sheaths smooth, equaling or shorter than the internodes; 

 basal leaves j-| as long as the culms, culm leaves 2-4, 6-12 cm. 

 long, all glabrous; panicle spike-like, somewhat lobed and inter- 

 rupted, 5-12 cm. long; axis and branches soft-pubescent; spikelets 

 2-4-flowered, 4-5 mm. long; first glume 2.5-3.5 mm. long, second 

 3-4 mm. long; flowering glume equaling the second empty one. 



Common on grassy hills. 



la. K. cristata pinetorum Abrams. Closely resembling the type 

 in habit and floral characters, but the sheaths and leaves soft- 

 pubescent. {K. cristata pubescens Yasey.) 



Occasional in open pine forests. Wilson's Peak; San Bernardino 

 Mountains; San Jacinto Mountains. 



