G69 



CURLY-MESQUITE 



Hila'ria belan'geri, syn. "H. cenchroi'des"* 



Flower head (spike)^ symmetrical, 1 to 

 2 in. long, about y t in. broad, purplish, 

 with a zigzag axis (rachis) 



Individual flower groups (spikelets) in 

 groups of 3's at each rachis joint, tho 

 groups falling entire, without tuft of 

 basal hairs, of two kinds: the central 

 spikelet 1 -flowered and seed-producing; 

 the 2 side spikelets 2-flowered, pollen- 

 producing (staminate) 



Lowest (2) central spikelet bracts 

 (glumes) similar, with dark glands 

 below, parallel-nerved, unequally 2- 

 lobed with a short bristle (awn) be- 

 tween 



Outer flower bracts (lemmas) trans- 



Earent, taper-pointed from a broad 

 ase 



side spikelet bracts 

 similar to those of central 



Lowest 



(glumes)- 



spikelet 



Stalks (culms)-y-solid, smooth except 

 for the conspicuously hairy joints 

 (nodes), some upright, 5 to 8 (some- 

 times up to 12) in. tall; others (run- 

 ners, or stolons) rooting at the nodes 

 from which new plants arise 



Leaves erect, rather rigid, usually 2 

 to 3 in. long, harsh 





Roots coarse, fibrous; rootstocks lack- 

 ing 



*Of United States 

 authors, not H. B. K. 



