AGROSTIDE.E. 293 



ropes, wliich, however, do not last Ion . Of little value for grazing 

 except when young and tender. 



15. S. Jonesii Vasey, Coult. Bot. Gaz. 6:297 (1881). 



A densely tufted, erect slender perennial, 30-40 cm. high; culm 

 solid as in Maize. Sheaths scabrous, 8-12 cm. long; ligule 3-4 mm. 

 long; blades of sterile shoots numerous, rigid, involute, except the 

 lowest, wliich are flat, 6-10 cm. long, those of the culm 1 or 2 in 

 number, setaceous, 2-3 cm. long. Panicle much exserted, erect, 

 thin, elliptical, 5-8 cm. long, rays solitary, the lowest and longest 

 2-3 cm. long, Spikelets streaked with light purple; empty glumes 

 broad, subequal, 1-uerved, about 1 mm. long, first obtuse, narrower 

 and a little shorter, second truncate-erose ; floral glume scabrous 

 and slightly pubescent, 2.3-3.7 mm. long, ovate, acute, 3-nerved, 

 the lateral nerves obscure; palea scabrous, as wide and nearly as 

 long as its glume, elliptical, hardly acute when spread. 



California (Soda Springs), Jones. 



16. S. vaginaeflorus (Torr.) Vasey, Cat. Gr. U. S. 45 (1885). 

 Vilfa vagin(Pjh)ra Torr., A. Gray, Gram. et. Cyp. l:n. 3 -(1834). 

 Agrostis Virginica Muhl. Gram. 74 (1817) not L. 



A slender much-branched ascending annual, 15-30 cm. high. 

 Sheaths one-half to one-third as long as the internodes, most of 

 them swollen, each with a lateral spikelike panicle ; blades involute, 

 slender, scabrid, 3-10 cm. long, those of the culm about 7 in num- 

 ber. Panicles entirely or partially enclosed by the sheaths, 1.5-4 

 cm. long. Empty glumes keeled, 1-nerved, acute, subequal, 2-3 mm. 

 long; floral glume and palea (the former 3-nerved, lateral nerves 

 obscure), pubescent with short hairs as seen under a lens, acute, 2.7 

 mm. long. The spikelets in the terminal spikes are longest and 

 often sterile. Grain oval, about 2 mm. long. 



Pennsylvania, U. S. Dept. Agricul. 374, from Scribner; Michigan, 

 Clark 2639; Cooky, Beal. 



Barren soil from Maine to Texas. 



17. S. gracillimus (Thurb.) Vasey, Bull. Torr. Club. 9:103 

 (1882). Vilfa graciUima Thurb. S. Wats. Bot. Calif. 2: 268(1880). 



A densely tufted annual, 7-15-30 cm. high. Sheaths about as 

 long as the internodes, loose, with hyaline margins; ligule obtuse, 



