FESTUCA GRAMINE^E 767 



sterile shoots numerous, about half as long as the stem ; those of the stem 

 2-3, erect, involute, 2-3 inches long: panicle erect, open 3-5 inches long, its 

 branches mostly in pairs, the lower 3^-2 inches long : spikelets brownish red, 

 linear-lanceolate, 4-7 lines long, 4-8-flowered: empty glumes unequal, the 

 first lanceolate, acute, 2 lines long, the second a line longer; acuminate, 

 flowering glumes linear-lanceolate, 5-nerved, 2>-3 lines long, palets lanceo- 

 late, scabrous below and on the keels. On the highest peaks of the Cascade 

 Mountains. 



F. ELATIOB L. Sp. 75. A tufted perennial: 2-6 feet high, often with 

 short creeping rootstock : sheaths smooth, shorter than the internodes: 

 ligules short : leaves of the stem 2-4, flat, 6-10 inches long, 2-3 lines wide : 

 panicle contracted after flowering, 4-10 inches long: its branches mostly 

 in pairs, the longest 3-5 inches long: spikelets linear-oblong, 6-11 -flowered, 

 6-8 lines long: empty glumes lanceolate, the first l 1 ^ line long, the second 

 a little longer; flowering-glumes oblong, acute, scabrous toward the tip. 

 rarely awned, 5-nerved, 2)^-3 lines long : palets linear, scabrous on the 

 keel. Common in meadows and waste places : introduced from Europe. 



F. Jonesii Vasey 1. c. 278. A densely tufted, perennial : stems erect, 

 3-4 feet high : sheaths usually scabrous, shorter than the internodes : 

 ligules less than a line long: radical leaves numerous, about half as long as 

 the stem ; those the stem 3-4, flat or involute, 5-15 inches long, 2-4 lines 

 wide: panicle slender, open, 7-15 inches long, its capillar)' flexuous bran- 

 ches single or in pairs the lowest remote, 3-5 inches long: spikelets narrow, 

 3-5-flowered, 5-6 lines long : flowering glumes scabrous, linear-lanceolate, 

 2-3 lines long, 3-5-nerved : awns slender, 3-7 lines long : palets linear- 

 lanceolate : stamens 3. Oregon to Brit. Columbia and Idaho. 



F. brevifolia R. Br. Parry first Voy. Suppl. 280. A densely tufted 

 perennial : stems rigid, 2-5 inches high : sheaths shorter than or equalling 

 the internodes: leaves of sterile shoots setaceous, 1-3 inches long, those of 

 the stem short or almost obsolete : panicle dense, linear, simple, racemose, 

 2-3 lines long; spikelets elliptical, 3 lines long, 1-4-flowered : empty glumes 

 scarcely equal, the second broadly lanceolate: flowering glumes 1-2 lines 

 long, elliptical-lanceolate, keeled above: awn 1 line or less long: palets 

 oblong, acute, 2-toothed. On high mountains eastern Oregon to Alaska 

 and the Rocky Mountains. 



F. ovina L. Sp. 73. A densely tufted perennial: stems slender, erect, 

 rigid, simple, 6-20 inches high : sheaths usually crowded at the base of the 

 stems: ligules short: leaves filiform or setaceous, those of the stem few, 1-3 

 inches long, erect, the basal ones numerous : panicle 1-3 inches long, of- 

 ten secund, narrow, its branches short, usually erect or appressed: spike- 

 lets 3-5-flowered: empty glumes unequal, acute, the first 1-nerved, the 

 second 3-nerved; flowering glumes 15*2-2 lines long, smooth, acute, usually 

 short-awned. On plains and rocky slopes in various forms, Mexico to 

 Alaska and across the continent : also Europe and Asia. 



Var. duriuscula Hack. Monog. Feit. Eu. 89. F. duriuscula L. 

 Stems taller and stouter, panicle usually more open: flowering glumes 

 about 3 lines long. Oregon to Alaska and the Rocky Mountains: also in 

 Europe. 



Var. polyphylla Vasey, Beal 1. c. 597. Stems 2^-3 feet high, 

 grooved below the panicle: leaves of sterile shoots numerous; sheaths split 

 for most of their length: panicle open, 4-8 inches long; spikelets linear- 

 lanceolate, 5-flowered: the second glume ovate-lanceolate 3-nerved. 

 flowering glumes slender 3-3> lines long. Oregon. 



Var. in grata Hack, in herb. Beal 1. c. 598. Stems 20-30 inches 

 high; leaves of sterile shoots scabrous, 8-10 inches long; those of the stem 

 3-5 inches long; panicle 4-6 inches long: its branches in pairs or jsingle 

 the longest about 2 inches long; spikelets 6-8-f lowered: the second glume 



