Bent-grass Tribe 35 



L5. EPICAMPES Presl. 



Tall perennial tufted grasses with usually very Long 

 spike-like panicles. Spikelets small, 1-flowered. Empty 

 glumes 2, membranous, slightly unequal, convex on the 

 back, carinate, often finely 3-nerved : flowering glumes 

 3-nerved, obtuse or emarginate, a little shorter or aboul 

 equaling the empty glumes, usually tipped with a slen- 

 der rather short awn. Stamens 3. Styles distinct, 

 short: stigmas plumose. Grain free, included within 

 the glumes. 



1. E. rigens Benth. Perennial, tufted ; culms rigid, erect, 

 smooth, 5-10 dm. high; sheaths longer than the internodes, 

 loose, smooth; Ligule 4-6 mm. long; leaves scabrous, rigid, in- 

 volute apex attenuate, 1-3 dm. long ; panicle exserted or some- 

 what included, erect dense spike-like, 2-5 dm. long, 5-8 mm. 

 broad; spikelets minutely scabrous, elliptic; empty glumes 

 white, about 3 mm. long, nearly equal; flowering glume awnless, 

 minutely pubescent, about 2 mm. long. 



Frequent in the San Gabriel Mountains, in canyons, confined mostly to 

 the upper portions of the chaparral belt. 



16. POLYPOGON Desf. Beard-grass. 



Annual or rarely perennial grasses with decumbent or 

 erect culms, flat leaves ami spike-like panicles. Spike- 

 lets 1-flowered. Glumes 3 ; the outer 2 empty, each ex- 

 tended into an awn, the third smaller, usually hyaline, 

 short-awned from below the apex, subtending a palea 

 and perfect flower. Palea shorter than the glume. 

 Stamens 1-8. Styles short, distinct. Grain free, en- 

 closed in the glume and palea. 



1. P. Monspeliensis (L.) Desf. Annual; culms erect or genicu- 

 late, 2-5 dm. high; sheaths about equaling the nodes, the upper 

 slightly inflated; leaves flat, scabrous; panicle spike-like, oval 

 or cylindric, 3-8 cm. long, 1-2 cm. broad, pale often yellowish- 

 green ; spikelets numerous, nearly concealed by the slender 



