146 HORDEAE 



nial growing from 2 to 3^ feet or even 4 feet high with erect 

 stems, and a spikehke panicle suggestive of a rather slender 

 jiead of beardless wheat, 5 or 6 inches long. The grass pro- 

 duces numerous flat bright green leaves and grows in stools 

 much as wheat does, though one of the fonns here included 

 is said to be stoloniferous. It forms a valuable part of the 

 summer forage in the mountains and is a hay grass whose 

 value is not yet appreciated in New Mexico. In Colorado it is 

 encouraged by some farmers. The slender form with more 

 or less interrupted spike is proper Agropyron teneriiui. To 

 the stouter and lower forms with a crowded and larger spike 

 the name of Agropyron pseudorepens has been given. They 

 are about equally common in New Mexico. 



Colorado Bluestem {Agropyron sniithii)* is one of 

 the important forage grasses of the State. It probably comes 

 in from the North where it is common on the plains or foot- 

 hills. In New Mexico it is alway.^ found on dry hillsides and 

 slopes of poor and dry mountains from about 5,500 feet up 

 to over 7000 feet, where it is very common among the pine 

 trees. It occurs very rarely on the plains. It is said to be a 

 very good pasture and hay grass in the northern Rocky 

 Mountain region. In New Mexico though it is eaten to some 

 exitent, stock prefer dry grama to fresh Bluestem. It rarely 

 occurs in pure stand sufficiently thick to warrant cutting for 

 hay but often produces a scattering growth under i^ine trees. 

 It is a bluish-green grass usually a foot to 14 inches high, with 

 only a few stems (1 to 3 or 4) in a place, rather coarse and 

 wiry with a somewhat flattened spike-like panicle 3 to 7 inches 

 long, the glumes lanceolate and acuminate pointed but not 

 awned. The plant spreads by means of slender rootstocks, but 



* Within the past 10 or 15 yeans the name of this grass has been 

 clianged quite frequently. It was first referred to A. repens an Eastern 

 species. Then it was recognize! as A. repens var. glaucum. Then it 

 was considered as a separate sp cies and the usual custom followed and 

 it was called A. glaucum. But Vv name was alroady in use for another 

 and prior publication so two attempts were made to correct this. One au- 

 thor called it A. occidentalis and anoUier A amithii. The former name was 

 taken up for some time though it appears the latter really has the claim 

 of priority ; hence it is used here, though its author uses the other In 

 the "Flora of Colorado." 



