Fescue Tribe 53 



* Awns very slender, usually twisted or bent. 



1. B. hordeaceus L. Annual; culms erect, 2-8 dm. high, 

 usually pubescent at the nodes; sheaths retrorsely soft pilose- 

 pubescent; ligule 1.5-2 mm. long laciniate; leaves linear, pilose- 

 pubescent or nearly smooth, 5-15 cm. long, 3-5 mm. wide; pan- 

 icle contracted, 5-14 cm. long, 2-4 cm. wide; spikelets 5-13- 

 flowered, 12-15 mm. long, 4-6 mm. wide, ovate-lanceolate, be- 

 coming obtuse; empty glumes coarsely pilose or scabrous-pubes- 

 cent, the lower 3-5-nerved, 4-6 mm. long, the upper 5-7-nerved, 

 7-8 mm. long; flowering glume 8-9 mm. long, coarsely pilose or 

 scabrous-pubescent; awn rather stout, rough, straight or some- 

 times becoming twisted, 6-9 mm. long. (B. mollis L.) 



Frequent in our coast valleys along roadsides. Native of southern 

 Europe. 



2. B. secalinus L. Annual; culms 3-7 dm. high, smooth 

 throughout or somewhat pubescent on the nodes ; sheaths smooth 

 or sometimes sparsely pilose-pubescent; leaves 1-2 dm. long, 

 coarsely and sparsely pubescent above, smooth beneath ; panicle 

 8-18 cm. long, erect, the upper part drooping in fruit; spikelets 

 ovoid-lanceolate, 10-18 mm. long, 6-8 mm. wide in fruit; empty 

 glumes smooth, obtuse, the first 4-6 mm. long, 3-5-nerved, the 

 second broader, 6-7 mm. long, 7-nerved ; flowering glume 7- 

 nerved, 6-8 mm. long, elliptic, obtuse, smooth or scabrous; awn 

 undulate, 3-5 mm. long; palea equaling the glume. 



Los Angeles River, Davidson. 



3. B. Trinii Desv. Annual ; culms 3-6 dm. high, often branched 

 above, smooth or pubescent at the nodes ; sheaths pilose-pubescent 

 or nearly smooth; leaves 6-15 cm. long, 3-5 mm. wide, usually 

 pilose-pubescent throughout or nearly smooth; panicle rather 

 crowded and narrow, suberect, 8-20 cm. long; branches slender 

 ascending; spikelets lanceolate, 5-7-flowered, 1.5-2 cm. long; 

 empty glumes lanceolate, acuminate, smooth, the first 1-nerved, 

 8-11 mm. long, the second broader, 3-nerved, 13-16 mm. long; 

 flowering glume coarsely and rather sparsely pubescent, 5-nerv- 

 ed, 12-15 mm. long, acuminate, with 2 narrow teeth 2-3 mm. 

 long; awn 15-20 mm. long, twisted below, bent below the mid- 

 dle. (Trisetum barbatum Steud.) 



Occasional in the foothills and in the dry interior valleys. Pasadena; 

 Santa Ana Mountains; San Bernardino; San Diego. 



