GRASSES OF IOWA. 



147 



pointed leaves, and spikelets \ inch (i cm.) long without the awn. 

 (Name composed of two Greek words for short and husk, from the 

 minute glumes.) 



Brachyelytrum is monotypic; one living species found in eastern 

 North America. 



BRACHYELYTRUM ERECTUM. 



Brachyelytrum erectum Beauv Agros. 39. 1812. (Schreb.) Beauv. 

 Beal. Grasses of N. A. 2:269. /. 46. 1896. Nash in Britton and Brown. 

 111. Fl. 1: 146. /. 332. 1896. Scribner. Bull. U. S. Dept. Agrl. Div. 

 Agros. 7: 118. /". 112. 1900. 



Brachyelytrum aristatum R. &. S. Syst. 2: 413. 1817. Beauv. Watson 

 and Coulter. Gray. Man. Bot. 644. pi. S. 1890. (6th ed.) Vasey Contr. U. S. 

 Nat Herb. 3: 71. Scribner. Grasses of Tenn. Bull. Univ. Tenn-, Agrl 

 Exp. Sta. 7: 69. /. S6. 1894. 



Brachyelytrum aristatuvi var . Evgelmanni. A. Gray. Man. Bot. 614. 

 1867. (5th ed.) Watson and Coulter. Gray. Man. Bot. 644. 1890. (6th ed.) 

 Vasey. Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 3: 71. 



Dilepyrum aristosum 

 Michx. H. Bor. Am. 1: 40. 

 1803. 



Muhlenbergia e r e c t a 

 Schreb. Besch. Gras. 2: 139. 

 pi. 50 1772-9. 



Muhlenbergia aristata 

 Pers. Syn.l: 76. 1805. 

 DESCRIPTION. 



Brachyelytrum. A pe- 

 rennial, with simple culms 

 I to 3 feet (3-9 dm.) high; 

 flat, spreading leaf-blades 

 and few- flowered, simple, 

 terminal panicles 2 to 6 

 inches (5-15 cm.) long. 

 Nodes and sheaths pubes 

 cent. Leaf -blades 3 to 6 

 inches (7-15 cm.) Ion 

 to 7 lines (12-14 mm.) 

 wide. Spikelets 5 to 6 lines 

 (10-12 mm.) long; empty 

 glumes very unequal, the 

 first minute; flowering 

 glume 4 to 6 lines (8-12 

 mm.) long, ciliate, scabrous 

 along the prominent nerves; 

 awn straight, 9 to 12 lines 

 (18-25 mm.) long. Palea 

 about as long as its glume. 

 Rachilla continued behind 

 the palea as a slender, 

 naked bristle, one-half to 



two-thirds as long as the Fig. lOfi. Brachyelytrum erectum— a, spikelqt; b, 



palea. Open, rockv woods. the same with the awn an(i short empty glumes 



A Tit- fn Ai,™',o* '" removed; c, empty glumes; d, palea (Div. of Agros. 



IVia) to August. u. s. Dept. Agrl.) 



