CHLORIDES. -^i T 



i. Peduncle smooth; floral glume 3-awnetl. . . (j) 



j. Floral glume 2 mm. long 12 



j. Floral glume 1 mm. long 13 



B. Atheropogon Muhl. as a genus. Spikes several or mi- 

 merous, usually short, straight, not pectinate, the feiu {3- 

 12) spikelets often fascicled; the terminal emptij glume 

 3-aioned, or more or less reduced and rudimentary. . . (k) 

 k. Spikes 30-60, axis scabrous, each bearing 4-10 S2)ike- 



lets 14 



k. Spikes 5-11, axis glabrous, each bearing 3-6 spike- 

 lets 15 



k. Spikes 4-6, axis silky villous, each bearing 7-10 



spikelets 16 



k. Spikes 3-5, each axis bearing 3-4 spikelets. ... 17 



C. Triathera Desv. as a genus. Spikes several, short and 

 narrow, the 1-3 slender spikelets closely a2:>pressed to the 

 rachis; terminal glume reduced to a trijjle aiun or having 



a palea. ... (m) 



m. Spikes 5-10, each bearing 2-3 spikelets 18 



m. Spikes 35-50, each bearing 1 spikelet 19, 20 



D. Polyodon H. B. K. as a genus. Spikes feiv, short, of 

 few spikelets; floral glume o-awned, the 2-3 terminal 

 empty ones crowded together and each 3-5-awned. ... 21 



1. B. prostrata Lag. Varied. Cienc. 2:141 (1805). B. 

 pusilla Vasey, Bull. Torr. Club, 11:6 (1884). Atheropogon hu- 

 milis Spreng. Syst. 1:293 (1824). B. temiis Griseb. Goett. Abh. 

 24: 303 (1879), as ticketed by Vasey. 



A loosely tufted slender annual. Culms many, geniculate, 10- 

 20 cm. high. Leaf-blades 1-4 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, flat or con- 

 volute. Spike solitary, much curved, pedicel velvety, bent, bract 

 about as long as pedicel or shorter. Empty glumes lance-elliptical, 

 1-nerved; first 1.5-2 mm. long, second 3.5 mm. long; floral glume 

 firm, hairy on the outside, oval when closed, nerves obscure, 2.5-2.8 

 mm. long, lateral set* about 1 mm. long, central one a little longer; 

 palea as long and as wide as its glume. Grain compressed, 2 mm. 

 long, embryo on one thin edge. Bachilla above the floret about 1 



