Ko. 81. 



POA NERVOSA (Hook.) Vasey; Fcstuca nervosa ITook. Fl. Bor. AnuT. 251 



(1840 ?)•, 



Plant ])cr(Miiiial, witli a slender, stoloiiifeious rootstock. 



Culms ereet, sleiidei-, smoof li, iiakcil ;\ of tlie way below the panicle, 2 to 3 feet tall. 



Leaves of sterile shoots iiuincroiis, Hat or coiuluplieate, S(!abrous above, rather t liin 

 and flexible, 1 to 2 lines wide, to 12 indues Ion jj: leaves of the culm usually -J; sheaths 

 close, smooth, striate, shorter than the h)n{; internodes; blades llat, scabi-ous on the 

 margins, 2 to 4 inches long; ligule obtuse, 1 to 2 lines long. 



InJlonsecHce a loose, o]ien, erect or somewhat flexuotis panicle 3 to 5 inches long; 

 rays 2 to 4 at each of the; G or 7 nodes, slender, slightly scabrous, 2 inches long or 

 less, bearing 2 to 5 si)ikelets near the extremities. 



Spikclcts compressed, 4 to o lines long, rather loosely 4- to S-flowered with a small 

 rudiment; empty glumes ovate, acute, carinate, hisi)i(l on the keels,!.} to U lines 

 long, shorter than the lower florets; floral glume lance-ovate, barely acute, scaiioiis 

 margined, scabrous on the nerves or throughout, often villous below but not weblied, 

 5-nerved, 2 lines long; i)alet lance-oblong, ciliate on the keels, nearly ccxualing the 

 glume; grain linear, translucent, 1 line long. 



Plate LXXXI; a, spikelet; b, floret opened. 



Central California to British Columbia and east to Montana in the mountains. It 

 is described in Botany of California as P. .stcuantha Trin., l)ut tlic s])ecimeiis do not 

 agree witli Trinius's (lescrij)tion. It is a very common grass in open pine woods, and is 

 considered valuable for stock -grazing. 



