Notes on certain species of Muhlenbergia: 
F. LAMSON-SCRIBNER 
MUHLENBERGIA COMATA (Thurb.) Benth. Jour. Linn. 
Soc. 19g: 83: 1881 
Vaseya comata Thurb. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863: 79. 1863. 
The genus Vaseya, established upon this species, is character- 
ized by Dr. Thurber as follows: ‘‘Panicula coarctata. Spiculae 
uniflorae, herbaceo-membranaceae. Glumae uninerves florem 
adaequantes. Callus obliquus,comam pilorum paleis aequilongam 
gerens. Palea inferior trinervis in aristam gracilem attenuata; 
superior aequilonga, acuminata. Stamina 3. Ovarium stipita- 
tum. Styli ultra medium pilis stigmaticis longis simplicissimis 
instructi. Squamulae ... Caryopsis....’’ (Thurber I. c.) 
The description of the species follows: “‘ V. comata, a native of 
the plains of Nebraska, is a perennial grass, with the aspect of 
Muhlenbergia or of a Polypogon, but with a coma of silky hairs 
around the flower as in Calamagrostis. Culm a foot and a half 
high from a creeping rhizoma, retrorsely pubescent at the node. 
Sheaths scabrous, equaling the internodes; ligule short, fringed, 
leaves 3 to 4 inches long, dull green, rough on both sides. Panicle 
lead-colored, about 3 inches long; the branches solitary, appressed, 
densely many-flowered. Spikelets very short-pediceled, com- 
pressed, pubescent, a line and a half long. Glumes narrow, very 
acute, serrulate on the keel, the lower a little the longer. Awn 
rough and flexuose, purplish, three to four lines long.”” (Thurber 
1 ¢) 
A rather stout erect perennial 3-5 dm. high from creeping 
scaly rootstocks, with simple culms, flat leaves, densely flowered 
oblong or cylindrical panicles and awned spikelets 3-4 mm. long; 
culms very finely pubescent at the nodes and for a short distance 
below them with reflexed hairs; sheaths glabrous, the lower ones 
more or less compressed; leaf blades mostly erect, rather firm 
in texture, 6-15 cm. long, the lowermost shorter, acute or attenuate- 
pointed; panicles ovate-oblong or cylindrical, 2-10 (usually about 
7) cm. long, densely flowered and more or less lobate, lead-colored, 
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