36 ZOYSIEAE 



Tlie third species, doubtfully referred to here as the 

 Texas Curly Mesquite Grass (H. cenchroides), is a small 

 grass which spreads over the ground by means of runners 

 forming a pretty compact sod. It is not so coarse as either 

 of the other species rarely being over about 5 or 6 inches 

 high. The panicle is a slender, cylindrical, somewhat inter- 

 rupted spike, 2 inches or so long, of small purplish florets. 

 The leaves are short and rather numerous, and not nearly as 

 coarse and tough as those of the larger species mentioned 

 above, and for this reason is a b^itter feed. Its habit of 

 spreading by runners is also important for it makes it an 

 aggressive spreading plant not dependent upon seed 

 germination for reproduction. The reason for expressing 

 doubt as to the correctness of the determination of this 

 species lies in its peculiar distriljutioii. It is known from 

 New Mexico only from the southwestern part in the region 

 of Silver City and nowhere in between the Texas region 

 where it is abundant. This is hardly due to failure to collect 

 it in the intermediate region for a numljer of good collectors 

 and a few grass specialists have collected in this region and 

 have not found it. The other suggestion is that the New 

 Mexican plant is a little known Mexican species coming in 

 from the south and incorrectly identified here. Be that as 

 it may, it is a good grass and needs to be encouraged to 

 spread further in a region where sod forming grasses are 

 very scarce. 



The other grass in this group (Nazia aliena) is a 

 small annual of no economic importance. It may be recog- 

 nized bv its strict cvlindrical spike of small hook-covered 

 "seeds" somewhat like small clotburs. 



Tribe II ZOYSIEAE 



Second glume not spiny. 9. Hilaria. 



Seconrl shitne with hooked spines. 10. Xazta. 



9. HILARIA TI. B. K. 



Bases of tlie pliitnes with lilaol< or ["H'li'ish 

 glands; pl.nnts low, spreading by slender 

 runner.s. 1 !!■ rrnrhrnides. 



