294 GRAMIJsE.E. Danthonia. 



2-toothed and more or less distinctly awnod. — Gram. ^lex. Boiuul. iiiud. ; Dolaml. 

 ill Trans. Calif. A,^ric. Hoc 1801 -Go, 1:57, without (Uiscription. 



Fort Mohave mid I'lovideiu'c ,Moiiiitiiiii9(C''0(>/>fc) ; Fort Yuma (Major Tliomns) ; Colorado Desert, 

 (A. Sc/iolt), niid aloii',' tlic (iila Itiver. A striking species on aceoiiiit of its rigid woody stems, in 

 liul)it resembling some ol' liie dwarf Hamlioos. Uegarded as vulualiio forage, at least for mules, 

 which eat its almost woody stems with avidity. The pubescence of the culms wilhiu the sheaths 

 is singularly malted and dense and very white. 



32. DANTHONIA, DC. Wild Oat-Guass. 



Panicle loose or often a siniiile raceme. Spikelets several- (about 7-) llowered. 

 Glumes about equal, keeled, unawned, as long as or longer than the flowers. lihachis 

 of spikelets hairy. Lower palet rounded on the back, 7 - 9-nerved, terminating in 

 two sharp usually rigidly awl-pointed teeth, between which is an awn llattened be- 

 low and spirally twisted, formed from the three middle nerves. Upper palet broadly 

 2-nerved, equalling or exceeding the entire portion of the lower. Stamens 3. Scales 

 2, somewhat fleshy, entire. Ovary smooth, stipitate. Grain not adherent to the 

 palets. 



A genus of over 100 sjum ies, especially aluuidant in .\fiiia ; a few belong in the Atlantic States 

 and one is peculiar tu the weilern coast. Mostly perennials. 



1. D. Californica, Dolaud. ('ulms sometimes tU'cumlteut at base, fntui \ to :} 

 feet high : leaves, especially the lower, couvohite and setaceously pointed ; ligtilo 

 obscure ; sheaths rather loose, bearded at the throat : panicle mostly a sinqile raceme, 

 the usually 3 to 5 (rarely 10) solitary rough-hairy pedicels scarcely as long as the 

 broad spikelets: glumes mostly purplish with scarious margins, pointed, 8 to 10 

 lines long, the upjier 5 - 7-nerved : lower palet broad, shining on the back, coriaceous 

 below, its teeth about half its own length, obscurely 9-nerved, with marginal tufts 

 of long silky hairs at or below the middle ; awn about e(iualling the palet, brownish 

 below ; upper palet ciliate, notched above. — Proc. Calif. Acad. ii. 182 ; Watson, 

 Bot. King Exped. 392. 



Var. unispicata. Culms G inches high or less, from dense tufts of somewhat 

 hairy leaves, liie sheaths of which are densely villous with white spreading hairs 

 about 2 lines long, arising in small clusters from miiuite white pajjilhe : spikelet 

 solitary and terminal (rarely 2 or 3), usually fewer-flowered tlian in the type. — D. 

 unispicata, ^lunro in Herb. D. spicata ((), Thurb. in Bot. Wilkes Exped. 488. 



Both forms occur from San Diego to San Francisco (Bolaudcr, Parry, Lcinmon) ; also in Ore- 

 gon and in the Rocky Mountains. The same large tuft often inoduces both tall and short culms 

 of the typical form. Some Rocky Mountain specimens, with the several-Howered pani(de of the 

 type, have, hairy sheaths, but less .so tlian in the variety. 



2. D. sericea, Xutt. (^ulms not tufted, 1 to 3 feet high : leaves narrow, with 

 sheaths silky-huiry at the throat: ])anicle narrow, the lower rays sometimes 2 - ;J- 

 flowered and spreading ; spikelets G to 8 lines long, the acuminate glumes much 

 exceeding the florets : lower palet with very long teeth, and villous with long silky 

 hairs all over or only below and on the margins. — Gen. i. 71 ; Gray, Man. G40. 



Yosemite Trail, at 8,000 feet altitude, Bolander, n. 6104. This agrees with the eastern plant, 

 excepting that the lower palet is less copiously hairy. Specimens that liave been refenetl to 

 D. spicala, Beauv., belong to D. Cnlifornica. Should that species be met with it will be known 

 by its very short leaves, its small narrow spikelets, only 3 to 5 lines long, and its coarsely hairy 

 lower palet with sliort and pointless teeth. 



33. AVENA, Linn. Oat. 



Panicle loose and few-flowerecl. Spikelets large, of few (3 to 5) florets, of which 

 the upjMjrmost is imperfect. Glumes nearly erjual, often exceeding the florets, many- 



