G17 



ARIZONA THREE-AWN 



Ari'stida arizo'nica 



Leaves numerous, sharp-pointed, up to 12 in. 

 long, flat at first, becoming spirally inrolled, 

 curling down to ground when dried 



Flower head (panicle) narrow but open, up 

 to 10 in. long, often purplish, erect or weakly 

 spreading, the branches erect, about 2 in. long, 

 each with 2 to 5 individual flower groups 

 (spikelets) 



Stalks (culms) densely tufted, rather stout, 

 erect, smooth 



Spikelets 1-flowered, short-stalked, erect, up 

 to K in. long. 



Outer flower bract (lemma) firm, wrapped 

 around seed, tipped by a twisted, 3-branched 

 beard (awn); 3 branches of awn equal, up to 

 about 1 in. long 



Lowest (2) spikelet bracts (glumes) rshort- 

 awned, nearly equal; 1st, or lower glume (B, a) 

 3-veined;2d, or upper, glume 1 -nerved, slightly 

 longer than 1st glume 



Roots thickened-fibrous 



