No. fifi. ^ 



MELICA HARFORDll Jlolaii.l. J'loc. (Jal. Acad. iv. 102 (1870). 



Plant ])crcmiiiil, t lifted (ir in " Imiiclics." with a rootstock and ratlior coarse roots, 

 but not hiillioiis. 



Cuhus erect, braiiclied below, slender, rather wiry, smooth, leafy nearly to the pani 

 cle. 3 t« ") feet tall. 



Lea res of ciilni about ."> ; sheaths slightly scabrid, striate, closed, about efpialinf,' tlic 

 internodes; blades Hat or involute, scabrid above, slender jiointed, somewhat auric- 

 ulate h)bed at base, 1 to .'5 lines wide, to 10 inches loii^; ligule 1 to 2 lines lonj,'. 



ftiflorexccnrr a linear, strict, erect or .slij,'htly noddinjj; i>anicle, to 12 inches loiif?, 

 including- tlic lower node which is usually distant from the others; rays mostly in 

 twos at the o or nodes, scabrous, erect or appressed, uneiiual, 2 inches long or less, 

 bearing 1 to 3 erect, short-jicdicelied spikelets. 



Spilrlcts narrowly lanceolate, T) to 7 lines long, the tlorets well imbricated or at 

 length somewhat spreading, readily disarticulating even in ycrting specimens; empty 

 glumes oblanceolate, obtuse or barely acute, minutely scabrid, purple-nerved, the first 

 ."•-neivcd, 3 to 1 lines long, the, second h line longer and 5- to Tnerved; lioral glume 

 lanceolate, barely acute or emarginate or sometimes short awiicd, .'i<-arious iiiargincd 

 above, minutely appre.ssed, silky throughout, ])ilose on the marginal nerves below the 

 middle, 7- to !>-nei\-c(l, 4 to 5 lines long; ])alet oblong, obtuse r)r emarginate, pubescent 

 (Ml tlie two arciied keels, 3 to 4 lines long; grain linear, 2-liorned at the apex, dark 

 purjde, 2 lines long; 



I'T.ATK liXVI; a, spikelet with florets spread out; h, floret with awned glume; c, 

 floral glume, doisal view. ^ 



California to Washington, mostly in the mountain valleys and on the foot hills. 

 Less likely to be of value in cidtivation, because of its bunched habit and rather stiil' 

 culms. 



