56 PANICACE^. 



bent awn 7-15 mm. long. Pedicels shorter than the sterile spike- 

 lets, which they bear; first glume flattened, ovate-lanceolate, 6-8 

 mm. long, 7-nerved, margins involute; second 3-nervecl, 5 mm. long; 

 tliird and fourth as long as the second, and hyaline. Stamens 3. 



From Rocky Mountains and east to the Atlantic ; found in good 

 soil or in poor and dry soils ; also abundant on the prairies, where it 

 is tlie leading grass for hay and very prominent for grazing. 



In Coult. Bot. Gaz. 302 (1888) A. A. Crozier states that in 

 Iowa the plants are largely dioecious. The fertile plants are smaller 

 and darker in color than the others. 



Mexico, Pringle 4294; D. C, McCarthy; Mich., Beal 6. 

 Kansas 7. 



Var. pycnanthus Hack. D. C. Monog. Phan. 6 : 443 (1889). 

 Silky hairs larger and tawny ; first glume of pedicellate spikelet 5 

 mm. long, 5-nerved. Mex., Brandegee 47, teste E. Hackel in 

 herb. Scribner. 



24. A. Wrightii Hack. Flora, 68 : 139 (1885). 



Plant smooth, glaucous, 100-120 cm. high, culms usually sim- 

 jjle above. Leaf-blades 20-30 cm. long, 5 mm. wide, the upper 

 ones about 10 cm. long, short hairs at the nodes and ligule; the 

 latter 1 mm. long. Spikes 4-6, digitate, 4-6 cm. long; rachis and 

 pedicels well clotlied with hairs which are shorter than the spike- 

 lets. On sessile spikelets first glume elliptical-lanceolate, 6-7 mm. 

 long, flattened on the back, which contains a round pit one-third 

 the way from the tip, 11-nerved, margins involute; second ovate- 

 acute, membranous, keeled, 3-nerved; third and fourth hyaline, 

 the latter bearing a twisted awn 2-3 mm. long. On the pedicellate 

 spikelet first glume 7 mm. long, ovate-lanceolate, rounded on tlie 

 back, 1 3-nerved, margins involute; second same shape and nearly as 

 large, 4-5-nerved; third hyaline. 



N. Mex., Wriglit 2104; Mex., Pringle 1409. 



New Mexico to Arizona and Mexico. 



25. A. saccharoides Sw., Fl. Ind. Occ. 1:26 (1797). 



Culms stout or slender, 80-120 cm. high, hairy at the nodes, 

 branching below. Sheaths terete, ribbed, glaucous, glabrous; 

 ligule short, hairy; blades 8-25 cm. long, 4-7 mm. wide. Spike- 



