,^04 POACE^, 



scabrous, 20-30 cm. long, 4-6 mm. wide, involute near the tip. 

 Panicle 15-30 cm. long, strict, densely flowered and spicate above, 

 interrupted below, the appressed branches 3-7 cm. long, the longer 

 ones naked for one-fourth of their length. Spikelets on stout 

 erect pedicels, usually 5-flowered, joint of rachilla 3 mm. long ; 

 empty glumes elliptical-lanceolate, 5-7-nerved, first 11-13 mm. 

 long, second 12-13 mm. long; floral glume 9 mm. long, elliptical, 

 0-11 -nerved; palea 5 mm. long, spatulate-oval. 



California (San Diego), Orcutt ; Mexico, Jones 3748. The 

 plant from Mr. Jones is more slender, blades involute, 6-10 cm. 

 long, 2-3 mm. wide, distichous; spikes more slender, fewer-flowered; 

 j^erhaps a distinct variety. 



Southern California, Arizona, Mexico. 



11. M. nana, new name. M. argenta (Howell) Beal, Bull. Torr. 

 Club. 17: 153 (1890), not Desv. Poa argentea Howell, Bull. Torr. 

 Club, 15:11 (1888). 



An erect tufted perennial, 15-20 cm. high. Sheaths loose, 

 membranous; ligule 2-3 mm. long; leaves of sterile shoots numer- 

 ous, curved, blades conduplicate, 3-7 cm. long, in cross-section 

 oblong, 0.6-0.8 mm. diam., bulliform cells wanting, apex obtuse ; 

 hgule of the culm-leaves acute, 3-5 mm. long; blades of the culm 

 3 in number, conduplicate, 11-nerved, 1.5 cm. long, 1.3 nun. diam. 

 Panicle oblong, spikelike, 2-3 cm. long. Spikelets oblong-linear, 

 6-8 mm. long, 3-5-flowered, joint of rachilla 1.7-2 nun. long, all 

 of tlie glumes brownish, shining and Avith broad seurious margins; 

 empty glumes subequal, 3.5-5 mm. long, 3-4-5-nerved, obovate, 

 ovate, lobed, toothed or entire; floral glume 5.5 mm. long, oval or 

 obovate when spread, denticulate, 5-6-7-nerved, minutely scabrid or 

 smooth; palea lanceolate, about the length of its glume. Anthers 

 .3 in number, 3.5 mm. long. The following, among other tilings, 

 indicate that this is a Melica : the soft smooth or scarious obovate 

 or irregularly toothed glumes, empty ghimes often 4-5-nerved, the 

 long spongy joints of the rachilla, floral glume without hairs at the 

 base, 5-6-7-nerved, the nerves evanescent, not connivant above. 

 The specific name argentea had been previously used when this was 

 transferred from Poa to Mrlica, hence tlie new name. 



