MACLOSKIE : GRAMINE^E. 245 



56. LEPTURUS R. Br. Hard-grass. 



Low, branching annuals, or taller perennials, with narrow leaves. Spike 

 simple, terminal, slender, having i-2-flowered spikelets, distichous in the 

 excavations of a jointed rachis. Rachilla short, articulated above the 

 lower glumes ; produced like a short awn. Empty glumes 1-2, rigid, 

 much longer than the hyaline florighime. Palea hyaline, 2-nerved. 



Species 6; Old World, some in Austral., N. Zeal, and Pacific Is., and i 

 introduced to U. S. (Eng. & Pr. ii. 2, 25, fig. 15.) 



L. CYLINDRICUS Trin. Arech. Las Gram Urug., p. 4,689, n. 69. 



N. Patagon. in dry places near Carmen. 



57. AGROPYRON J. Gaertn. Wheat-grass. 



Spikes simple, terminal, with large, many-flowered, sessile spikelets, 

 single and alternate in the notches of the rachis ; the spikelets compressed, 

 with their sides towards the rachis. The 2 lower glumes empty ; the 

 floral glume rigid, rounded, its 5-7 nerves partly connivent above, having 

 a callus which falls off with the ripe grain ; palea often ciliate on its keels. 

 Styles short ; grain pubescent at apex. Upper flowers of the spikelets 

 often more or less imperfect. (Distinguished from Triticum by its floral 

 glumes having connivent nerves, and the deciduous callus.) 



Species 30 ; of temperate regions. 







i. A. ELYMOIDES Hack. 



Cespitose ; cnlm stout, 20-30 cm. tall, glabrous, 2-nodal, naked 

 upwards ; the sheaths resolved into fibers, the leaf-blades linear-acute, 

 8-10 cm. by 2-3 mm. Spike linear, dense, 6-8 cm. long. Spikelets 

 imbricate, ovate-oblong, 3-flowered and a rudiment, 1 2 mm. long. Empty 

 glumes subequal, very narrow linear-lanceolate ; floral glume much 

 broader, 8-10 mm., ending in an awn of 3 mm. Palea as long, its keels 

 ciliolate. 



E. Fuegia. (Dusen.) 



2. A. FUEGIANUM (Speg. sub Triticum}. 



Perennial. Base cespitose or creeping. Leaves fasciculate, erect, 

 hispid, much shorter than the fertile culms ; their laminae plane, narrow, 

 apically involute-subulate ; ligules very short, truncate. Culms erect, 



