68 AGROSTIDEAE 



The Muhlenbergias. We now cuine to the largest genus 

 of grasses, when considered from the standpoint of number of 

 different species, to be found represented in the flora of New 

 Mexico. Notwithstanding the fact that they are numerous, 

 varied, common throughout the State in one form or another, 

 and more or less useful, they have no common name, hence it 

 is necessary to use the botanical one. One species is known 

 as Mesquite Grass probably because of its habit of seeming to 

 hide under the spiny protection of the- mesquite bushes, but 

 this name is a poor one and is never applied to any of the 

 other species. Another specits is sometimes called Aparejo 

 Xjrass on account of its use, 1)ut tliis is nut typical of the group 

 -either. 



It may l)e of interest, for tlie sake of the association 

 of id. as, to know that the genus is named in honor of a 

 German botanist by the name of Muhlenberg, who lived in 

 Pennsylvania in the early part of the last century and was 

 much interested in the study of grasses of North America. 



The genus is characterized by having small single- 

 Flowered spikelets on the ends of the smallest of the stem 

 -divisions and the two inner (flowering) glumes are more or 

 less hardened and closely and ])ermanently enclose the seed. In 

 some of the species one of the f](nvering glumes is tipped by a 

 slender straight awn tliat may be either cpiite short or two or 

 three times the length of the spikelet, while in sail other species 

 the awn is lacking. Tliere is also considerable diversity in the 

 form of the panicle, there being all variations from a strict 

 compact spike to a widely branched and spreading ])anicle with 

 long l;air-like branches. 



Two of the species are coarse grasses usually aliout three 

 feet high forming large leafy tuft,-; with stout culms and large 

 panicles bearing many spikelets. The leaves are often 

 eighteen inches or more long and rough and tough, and the 

 panicles are spreading and a light purple color. They (Nos. 

 1 and 2 in the list of species following) are fairly common in 

 the n:ountains of the southern part of the state among the 



