221 



GRASS FAMILY. 

 5. Bromus sterilis I,. Barren Brome-grasB. (Fig. 510.) 



Bromus sterilis L,. Sp. PI. 77. 1753. 



Culms i-2 tall, erect, simple, smooth and gla- 

 brous. Sheaths usually shorter than the internodes, 

 smooth or rough, the lower sometimes pubescent; 

 ligtile i" long; leaves $'-<)' long, 1"-$" wide, us- 

 ually more or less pubescent; panicle s'-ic/ in 

 length, the branches ascending or often widely 

 spreading, not one-sided, stiff; spikelets few, 5-10- 

 flout-red, spreading or pendulous; empty scales 

 acuminate, glabrous, the first i-nerved, the second 

 longer, 3-nerved; flowering scales 6"-8" long, acu- 

 minate, 7-nerved, scabrous on the nerves, the awn 

 7 // -i2 // long. 



In waste places and ballast, eastern Massachusetts to 

 Pennsylvania and Ohio. Locally naturalized or adven- 

 tivc from Europe. Native also of Asia. June-July. 



6. Bromus Porteri (Coulter) Nash. Porter's Chess. (Fig. 511.) 



Bromus Kalmii var. Porteri Coulter. Man. Bot Rockr 



Mt. Region, 425. 1885. 

 Bromus Porteri Nash, Bull. Torr. Club, 33: 513. 1895. 



Culms i#-3 tall, erect, simple, pubescent below 

 the nodes. Sheaths shorter than the internodc*. 

 glabrous or sometimes softly pubescent; ligule ft" 

 long, truncate; leaves i"-3" wide, rough, thoM of 

 the culm 4 / ~9 / long, the basal narrow and about 

 one-half of the length of the culm; panicle 3' - 

 length, its branches drooping and flexuous, at least 

 when old, the nodes of the axis pubescent; spikeleU 

 5-io-flowered, 9"- 15" long, on >lrn.U-r flexuoo* 

 pedicels; empty scales pubescent, the first narrower 

 than the second, both 3-nerved; flowering tcaka 

 $"-6" long, obtuse, 5~7-nerved, densely pubescent 

 with long silky hairs; awn i"-2" long. 



In dry soil, South Dakota to Montana, tooth to 

 western Nebraska, New Mexico and Arizona. Jnljr- 

 Aug. 



y. Bromus Kalmii A. Gray. Kalm's 

 Chess. (Fig. 512.) 



Bromus purgans L,. Sp. PI. 76. 1753? 

 Bromus Kalmii A. Gray, Man. 600. 1848. 



Culms iK-3 tall, erect, simple, smooth and gla- 

 brous. Sheaths shorter than the internodes, more or 

 less pubescent; ligule very short; leaves 2 ^'-7' long, 

 !//_ 4 // w ide, sparingly pubescent; panicle 2'-6' in 

 length, open, its branches usually flexuous; spikelets 

 6-io-flowered, 6 // -i2 // long, on slender flexuous pedi- 

 cels; empty scales pubescent, the first narrow, acute, 

 3-nerved, the second longer, broad, obtuse or mucro- 

 nate, s-7-nerved ; flowering scales about 4" long, 7-9- 

 nerved, densely silky pubescent, the awn i"-i>" in 

 length. 



In woods 

 Massachusetts 

 Aug. 



and thickets, Quebec to Manitoba, south to 

 ts, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Iowa. July- 



