10R 



make it valuable for pasturage, especially in the arid districts. (Plate 

 107.) 



Chloris alba. 



An annual grass, growing in tufts, 2 to 2 feet high, smooth, the culms branching 

 and bent at the lower joints; the leaves are numerous and rather broad, the upper 

 sheaths dilated and at first inclosing the flower spikes, which are in a close cluster, 

 eight to fifteen in number and 2 to 3 inches long. The flowers are sessile and 

 crowded in two rows on one side of the spikes. It is a common grass in the arid dis- 

 tricts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. It furnishes a large amount of foliage, 

 and may prove useful in localities to which it is adapted. (Plate 108.) 



Diplachne dubia. 



A perennial grass of vigorous growth, growing 3 or 4 feet high, the culms rather 

 stout and erect, with an abundance of foliage, the leaves being quite long and nar- 

 row. The panicle is from 6 to 12 inches long, consisting of from 10 to 20 narrow, 

 spreading spikes, each 4 to 6 inches long, mostly scattered on the axis, or two 

 or three together. The spikelets are three to five-flowered, the empty glumes linear- 

 lanceolate and acute. The flowering glumes are oblong, obtuse, two-lobed, and smooth 

 except on the margins. 



Its principal range is in the Southwest, from Texas to Arizona. It 

 is a promising grass, and should receive the attention of agriculturists. 



(Plate 109.) 



Melica. 



Spikelets two to many-flowered ; the flowers usually convolute around each other, 

 the upper one small and imperfect; the empty glumes are meinbranaceous and awn- 

 less, the lower one three to live-nerved, the upper live to nine-nerved, the lateral nerves 

 not reaching to the apex. The flowering glumes are of thicker texture, becoming 

 coriaceous, scarions near the apex, mostly rounded on the back, five to nine-nerved, 

 the lateral nerves not reaching the apex, the central one sometimes ending in a short 

 point or even in a long awn ; the palets shorter than their glumes, two-keeled and cil- 

 iate on the keels. Of this genus we have ten or twelve species. 



Melica diffusa. 



A perennial species, gro \vi ug in rocky woods or ravines throughout the Rocky Mount- 

 ains in Colorado and New Mexico. It grows in loose tufts, the culms about 2 feet high, 

 the lower leaves and sheaths soft hairy, the upper loaves narrow, 3 to 4 inches long 

 and pointed. The panicle is 6 or 8 inches long, open, with rather few (C-,3) branches, 

 3 to 4 inches long, rather distant from each other, and somewhat spreading; the 

 spikelets are large, 4 to 6 lines long, and three to five-flowered, the upper flower im- 

 perfect. The empty glumes are quite unequal and much shorter than the spikelets. 

 The flowering glumes are many-nerved below, with a broad scarious margin above. 

 The palets are narrower and shorter than the flowering glumes and fringed on the 

 keel. 



This grass is relished by cattle, but as its preference is for shaded 

 places it may not be adapted for general culture. (Plate 110.) 



Melica bulbosa. 



This species is distinguished by its large bulbous roots, or, more properly, by the 

 bulb-like enlargement of the base of the stem. It grows 2 to 3 feet high, the leaves 

 narrow, scabrous, and becoming involute. The panicle is narrow, from 4 to 6 inches 

 long, with short appressed branches. Tim spikelets are about half an inch long, with 

 five to seven perfect. Mowers ; the empty glumes are three to four lines long, or nearly 



