HORDEAE 145 



The Rye Grasses and Wheat Grasses. (Tribe IX. 

 HoRDHAK) arc represented by 4 native genera and 23 species 

 in Xew Mexico, besides the various cultivated species such 

 as w'icat, rye, barley, etc., most of which grow freely at var- 

 ious places in the State. The possibili'ties in wheat rai3in«T 

 in New Mexico are not appreciated by most of our farmers. 

 Barley for both hay and grain is grown quite extensively in 

 the higher mountains where they get plenty of surrimer rains. 



The \VnEAT Grasses of the genus Agropyron are 

 common throughout the State, 10 or possibly 11 species be- 

 ing recognized. They are all restricted to the higher le\els 

 and occur mostly in the mountains, rarely cominv; down on 

 the plains, though one species, Colorado Bluestem occasionally 

 occurs on the higher grassy plains at the northern end of the 

 State. Most of the New Mexican species of this genus are 

 not common and are found only on the upper parts of the 

 high mountains, several of tliem occurring above timber line 

 and a few more in the cool forests just a little below the up- 

 per limit of trees. These species are of such small importance 

 from the standpoint of value as forage that they need hardly 

 be noted. 



The Slender Wheat Grass (Agropyron tenerum) 

 (as here considered) is however, quite an important grass. 

 It occurs in wet meadows and cienagas at levels of 7500 up 

 to about 9000 feet and prnrhices excellent forage : it is often 

 cut for hay along with the other grasses and sedges that 

 grow in such places. This grass is somewhat variable, or there 

 are two species — the question it not yet settled to the author's 

 satisfaction, and, pending further study in the field, the dif- 

 ferent forms are here referred to by a single specific name — 

 the older. In several texts the two names are given and the 

 keys are made so as to attempt the separation, but the failure 

 of the keys to work on material and the inability of the au- 

 thors to find characters in a large series of dried specimens by 

 which to separate the two forms have led to the above con- 

 clusion. The grass if it be a single species is a leafy peren- 



