AGROSTIDEAE 69 



rocks aiul on clilV laces, but are of little economic importance 

 since stock of any kind rarely gets to them or eats them. They 

 have a small value p.s decorative plants to be grown where 

 the supply of water is so limited that better species requiring 

 more water cannot be cultivated. Another species of this 

 kind but smaller and with a widely-spreading panicle of dark 

 purple spikelets is number 21 of the list. It is rare in the 

 southwestern part of the State. 



Numbers 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 have more or less of the 

 same aspect, and are to be separated by the more minute 

 characters indicated in the key. Their panicles are usually 

 strict and the green or blackish spikelets are crowded close 

 together forming a dense or sometimes interrupted spike. 

 The stems are mostly jointed and leafy, so the plants usually 

 produce some considerable forage which is succulent and is 

 eaten freely by stock in the summer time when it is green. 

 "J'hey are not anywhere very al)undant and therefore of no 

 great economic importance. 



Ai*.\KEj() (iK.\.s.s (i\f iihlciihcrgia iitilis) is a low species 

 forming a rather thick sod in faxorable situations. It receives 

 its common nane because it is used to scuff the pads (aparejos) 

 used in certain ])arts of Mexico in lieu of pack saddles. It is 

 rather common in tlie southern ]:art (jf the State in the irri- 

 gated valleys, sometimes in alfalfa fields, often by the road- 

 side, and is sometimes somewhat of a pest, though probably 

 not very difficult to eradicate. It is able to hold its own 

 against alfalfa if once established and will i)robably crowd the 

 latter out. It has a little value as a pasture grass but is not 

 very nmcli liked l)y stock, though they will eat it if nothing 

 else is easily available. 



Numbers 12, 14, and 15 are fairly common tufted 

 grasses growing at middle elevations in the timbered moun- 

 tains. Number 13 is closely related to them though much 

 rarer in the State. All of them are of medium size from 12 

 to 18 inches high with rather larere panicles of many small 

 spikelets. They are evidently palatable, since they are freely 

 eaten bv all kirc's ' f <; n-V wherex'er thev occur. 



