90 University of California Publications in Botany [VOL. 9 



Specimens examined. Tuolumne meadows, about the soda springs, 

 8,500 feet, Smiley 734; South Fork of the San Joaquin, 7,600 feet, 

 Hall and Chandler 636. 



Triglochin palustris L., a plant widely distributed in North 

 America and found in Washington and in the Rocky Mountain section 

 in the higher mountains ; may occur in the boreal region of the Sierra. 

 Coville has referred no. 1433 of the Death Valley expedition to this 

 species ; this collection has not been seen by me. 



Damas&nium, a genus of four species belonging to the family 

 Alismaceae, has one species in America; D. calif ornicwm Torr (Benth., 

 PI. Hartw., p. 341. 1856) is confined to California and is essentially 

 a Transition species, but just rises to our lower limits (Tallac, in a 

 wet field, 6,250 feet, Smiley 136a). 



10. GEAMINEAE (GRASS FAMILY) 



(All of the wild grasses growing in the boreal region of the Sierra belong to 

 the subfamily Poacoideae ; of its seven tribes, three, P'lialarideae, Chlorideae, and 

 Bambuseae, are unrepresented.) 



Spikelets 1-flowered; the axis straight, not zigzag; rhachilla sometimes pro- 

 longed behind the palet of the uppermost floret; spikelets obviously pedun- 

 culate 1. Agrostideae 



Spikelets 1-many flowered; the axis zigzag; rhachilla never prolonged behind 

 the palet of the uppermost floret; spikelets essentially sessile ....2. Hordeae 

 Spikelets 2-many flowered; the axis straight. 



Lemma shorter than the glumes; awns dorsal or from between terminal teeth 



on the lemma and usually bent 3. Aveneae 



Lemma longer than the glumes; awns terminal or inserted between terminal 

 teeth on the lemma and usually straight 4. Festuceae 



1. AGROSTIDEAE 



Lemma with a long terminal awn or mucronate, closely investing the grain. 

 Fruiting lemma firm, coriaceous. 



Awn twisted and persistent 1. Stipa 



Awn straight or essentially so and deciduous 2. Oryzopsis 



Fruiting lemma thin, membranaceous 3. Muhlenbergia 



Lemma awnless or short awned, loosely investing the grain. 

 Inflorescence a dense spicate raceme. 



Lemma awnless; the glumes sharply and stiffly awned 4. Phleum 



Lemma awned below the middle; glumes awnless 5. Alopecurus 



Inflorescence a more or less loose panicle. 



Palet apparently 1-nerved 6. Cinna 



Palet obviously 2-nerved or minute or wanting. 



Lemma naked at base 7. Agrostis 



Lemma with a tuft of long hairs at base 8. Calamagrostis 



2. HORDEAE 



Axis of spike continuous, not becoming disarticulated 9. Agropyron 



Axis of spike jointed and readily separating at maturity 10. Sitanion 



