340 Bulletin No. 205 [March, 



Aristida purpurascens Poir. 

 Purplish Aristida (Fig. 132) 



Aristida geyeriana, Lapham '57, 545, 571. Aristida purpurascens, Lapham 

 '57, 545, 571; Patterson '76, 50; Flagg '78, 281; Brendel '87, 88. 



Culms 1 to 2.5 feet tall, smooth, not much branched; sheaths 

 smooth ; blades 4 to 8 inches long, 1 to 2 mm. wide, smooth, sometimes 

 flat but usually involute; panicle spike-like, purplish, 4 to 10 inches 

 long; glumes unequal, pointed, 10 to 12 mm. long; awns 1.5 to 3 cm. 

 long, the middle one slightly longer than the lateral. 



This species is a perennial. It may usually be distinguished by its 



purplish infioresence. It usually grows in sandy or gravelly soil. 



ILLINOIS SPECIMENS : Without locality, M. S. Bebb. lake CO. Beach, Gates 

 3260. MASON CO. Without locality, Vasey. menard CO. Athens, Hall, 1861. ST. 

 CLAIR CO. Without locality, Brendel in 1850. 



Aristida ramosissima p]rigelm. 

 Branched Aristida (Fig. 130) 



Lapham '57, 545, 569; Patterson '76, 50; Flagg '78, 280; Brendel '87, 88. 



Culms 6 to 24 inches tall, much branched, the branches spreading ; 

 sheaths loose, smooth ; blades roughened above, usually involute, 1 to 

 3 inches long, 1 to 2 mm. wide; glumes unequal, 15 to 20 mm. long, 

 lateral awns very small and erect, the central awn 15 to 20 mm. long 

 with a semicircular or S-shaped bend at the base. 



This species is found in dry soil. It is a middle western species. 



ILLINOIS SPECIMENS : Without locality, Beal in 1862 ; without locality, Vasey. 

 MARION CO. Odin, Vasey. macoupin co. Carlinville, Robertson. ST. clair CO. 

 Without locality, Brendel; Mascoutah, Welsch: union CO. Jonesboro, -Seymour, 

 Aug., 1880. WABASH CO. Without locality, SchnecTc, July, 1879; without locality, 

 Shearer; Mt. Carmel, SchnecTc, Sept., 1877 and Aug., 1898; Lick Prairie, SchnecTc, 

 Aug., 1878. 



Aristida stricta Michx. 



Erect Aristida (Fig. 125) 



Engelmann '44, 103; Lapham '57, 545, 571; Patterson '76, 50; Flagg '78, 

 281; Brendel '87, 88. 



Culms 2 to 4 feet tall ; sheaths smooth ; blades 8 to 12 inches long, 

 densely pubescent, almost wooly on the upper surface near the base, 

 usually involute; panicle spike-like, 6 to 24 inches long; glumes about 

 equal or the first longer than the second, awn-pointed ; lateral awns 

 usually shorter than the central one, which is 1 to 2 cm. long. 



This species is found in dry soil. It is a southern species closely 

 resembling A. purjyuraficcns, but is taller and lacks the purplish color. 



MASON CO. Without locality, Mead, Aug., 1845. 



