AGROSTIDE^. 209- 



A densely tufted strict light-green scabrous perennial, about 

 120 cm. high. Sheatlis shorter or longer than tlie internodes- 

 ligule firm, 3-5 mm. long; blades conduplicate, rigid, 25-40 cm. 

 long, about 1 mm. diam. Panicle slender, sj)ikelike, light green 

 or purple, 20-30 cm. long, 5-10 mm. diam., rays numerous, erect, 

 1-3 cm. long. Spikelets on pedicels 1-3 mm. long, empty glumes 

 nerveless, scabrid toward the tip, oval, 1.3-1.7 mm. long; floral 

 glume with a very >anall pencil-tuft of hairs at the base only, linear, 

 3-nerved, 3.5-4 mm. long, apex 2-toothed, tlie awn 4-10 mm. 

 long; palea linear acute, as long as its glume. Nearly allied to J/. 

 affinis. 



Mexico, Pringle 403. 



Texas to Arizona and Mexico. 



41. M. comata (Thurb.) Benth. Vasey, Eep. Dep. Agric. t. 

 5:247(1881-82). Vasetja comaia Thurb. Proc. Phila. Acad. 79 

 (1863). 



A rather stout simple erect perennial, 30-90 cm. high, with 

 creeping scaly rootstocks. Sheaths about 6, mostly smooth, shorter 

 than the internodes; ligule a lascerate fringe 1 mm. or less in 

 length; blades dull green, rough on both sides, flat or convolute, 

 j)ungent-pointed, 8-15 cm. long, 3-5 mm. wide. Panicle pale 

 green, lead-colored or p'urplish, 8-12 cm. long, 1-1.3 mm. 

 diam., often with interruptions and short spikes below. Spikelets 

 on very short pedicels ; empty glumes conduplicate, linear-lanceo- 

 late, the single nerve serrulate, mueronate, first 2.5-3.3 mm. long, 

 second a little longer ; floral glume thin, linear-lanceolate, 3 nerved, 

 3 mm. long, with silky hairs from the callus as long as the floret, 

 the awn 3-8 mm. long; palea acute, as long as its glume. Grain 

 linear 1.3 mm. long. 



Colorado, Patterson, Cassidij; Montana, Williams; California, 

 Kellogg and Ilavard 1097, Hall and Harhonr 185. 



Colorado to California on alluvial banks of streams. 



42. M. Porteri Scribn. in MS. M. Te.raua Thurb. Gram. Mex. 

 Bound, ined. Porter and Coult. Syn. FL Col. 144 (1874). 



A branching diffuse or decumbent perennial, often more or less 

 purple or red, 30-60 cm. high. Culms solid or nearly so, nodes 



