The Sage Grasses. 



(Tribe 1. Andropogoneae). Tiicsj arc lurj^c, 

 coarse, bunch grasses of very little econcii'.i 'inji'jrr.-'nce in 

 any way. They are rarely if ever abundant in any one place, 

 though on account of their size and the conspicuous inflores- 

 cence of some species they attract the attention of the casual 

 observer. As a group they arc adapted to warm, dry 

 situations, occurring on dry hillsides, rocky hills, on sand 

 hills and in arroyos, while two of the native species are easily 

 eradicated weeds in the fields and along the roadsides and 

 ditch banks. The different genera are rather easy to 

 distinguish as they occur in New Mexico. Andropogon, 

 represented by two species, found only in the mountains, or 

 on the plains of the eastern side of the State, is a tall grass 

 generally 4 to 5 feet tall with coarse leaves and a 2-^ 

 branched panicle of ha,iry spikelets. The divisions of the 

 panicle are Vi an inch in diamster and 2 to 4 inches limg. The 

 stalks are nc\er xlvx luimerous. usually from 2 to half a 

 dozen in a "bunch." It is the Tall Sage Grass. The other 

 native species are usually about 2^' feet tall and grow in 

 good sized "bunches." forming tufts a foot in diameter very 

 fre(|uently. Schizachyriuui is the smaller Sage Grass wher- 

 ever it occurs, and it is not uncommonly associated with the 

 tall ])lants both in the mountains' and on the sand hills and 

 plains, tliougli it is much more common. Tt may be distin- 

 guished by tlie slender interrupted panicle of few spikelets 

 covered with slender spreading hairs, .liiiphilophis is not 

 p-enerallv referred to as a sage grass but is a close relative 

 of the others. Economically two of the species are somewhat 

 inrortant because they occur as weeds in the cultivated 

 valleys. 1"1k\- are b'-nch gras.ses often forming tufts a font 

 or n^ore in dianKnrr and 2 to 3 feet high. Their panicles 



