164 



Fig. 158. DESCHAMPSIA ATROPURPUREA (Wahl.j Scheele, Flora, 27: 

 56. 1844. (^ira a^ropu/'purea Wahl. Fl. Lapp. 37. 1812.) MOUNTAIN HAIR- 

 GRASS.— A slender alpine grass 1.5-4 dm. {i°-l^°) high, with flat leaves and 

 few-flowered, nodding panicles 3-12 cm. (l'-5') long. Sheaths shorter than 

 the internodes; ligule 2 mm. (1") long or less, truncate; leaf-blades 2-4 mm. 

 (l"-2") wide, 5-10 cm. (2'-4') long, slightly scabrous above. Spikelets (a) 

 about 5 mm. (2^") long with ovate-lanceolate, acute empty glumes and erose- 

 truncate, awned flowering glumes (b) 2.3 mm. (1^") long; awns bent, much 

 exceeding the glumes.— Labrador, White Mountains, Adirondacks, Rocky 

 Mountains in Colorado, northward to Alaska. (Northern Europe and Asia.) 

 July to September. 



