134 GRAMINEAE. 
3. Aristida basiramea Engelm. Forked Aristida. (Fig. 299.) 
Aristida basiramea Engelm.; Vasey, Coult. Bot. Gaz. 9: 
76. 1884. 
Glabrous and smooth, culms 6/-18’ tall, erect, 
slender, much branched. Sheaths shorter than the 
internodes, loose; ligule very short, ciliate; leaves 2/— 
6’ long, about 1’’ wide, involute-setaceous; spike-like 
panicle 3/—5’ long; first scale of spikelet half to three- 
quarters as long as the second, which is 5’’-7’” in 
length, both awn-pointed; third scale shorter than the 
second; middle awn 6//-9’’ long, coiled at base, hori- 
zontal, lateral awns one-quarter to one-half as long, 
erect or divergent, somewhat spiral at the base. 
In dry fields, Illinois to Manitoba, south to Virginia and 
Kansas. July-Sept. 
4. Aristida ramosissima Engelm. Branched Aristida. (Fig. 300.) 
Aristida ramosissima Engelm.; A. Gray, Man. Ed. 5, 618. 
1867. 
Aristida ramosissima var. uniaristata A, Gray, Man. Ed. 
5, 618. 1867. . 
Glabrous, culms 6/—2° tall, erect, slender, branched, 
smooth. Sheaths much shorter than the internodes, 
loose ; ligule very short; leaves 114/-3/ long, 1’’ wide 
or less, flat, attenuate into a long point, smooth 
beneath, scabrous above ; spikelets few, borne in loose 
spikes from 2/-4’ in length; first scale awn-pointed ; 
second scale 8’/-10’’ in length, exceeding the first, 
| 
terminated with an awn 1//-3’’ long; third scale as 
long as the second; middle awn about 1/ long, hori- 
zontal or reflexed and forming a hook, the lateral 
awns erect, 1/’-2’’ long, rarely wanting. 
In dry soil, Illinois to Kentucky and Missouri. 
July-Sept. 
5. Aristida purpurascens Poir. Purplish Aristida. (Fig. 3or.) 
Aristida purpurascens Poir. in Iam. Encycl. Suppl. 
I: 452. 1810. 
Glabrous and smooth, culms 1°-2%° tall, erect, 
simple or sparingly branched at the base. Sheaths 
longer than the internodes, crowded at the base of 
the culm; ligule very short; leaves 4’-8’ long, 
about 1’ wide, flat, or becoming involute in drying, 
attenuate into a long point; spike-like panicles 
5/-18’ long, strict, or sometimes nodding, its 
branches appressed ; outer scales of spikelet awn- 
pointed, the first longer than the second ; the third 
scale from two-thirds to three-quarters as long as 
the first, middle awn 9//-12’” long, horizontal, the 
lateral awns somewhat shorter, erect or divergent. 
In dry soil, Massachusetts to Minnesota, south to 
Florida, Kansas and Texas. Scales purplish. Sept.—Oct. 
