222 POACE.E. 



Sht'iiths imioli sliorter than the intoniodcs; lif,'ule very sliort, with 

 soiiio Imirs ut the tliroat; Ijhidos pale <,M-oeii, smooth or scabrul, in- 

 vohite-sotaceou.s at tlie apex, those of sterile slioots about one-third 

 as k)n<^ as the cului, tiiosc of the culm 3-4 in numher, aud 2-6 

 mm. wide, the upper one 3-(» cm. lon^. raniele exserted, narrow, 

 l',*-40 cm. long, the short erect rays in twos or threes. Empty 

 glumes subecjual, ovate, bristle-pointed, often tinged with purj)le, 

 5-13 mm. long, first 3-5-nerved, second 3-nerved; floret pubescent, 

 5-G mm. long, including the very short acute callus and the 2 

 minute teeth concealed by the thin short crown of hairs; i)alca 

 about half as long as the glume: awn slender, llexuose, usually 

 twice bent, 20-40 mm. long. Anthers naked. 



California, U. S. Dept. Agricul. 23T, from Jones; Montana, 

 Catiby 340. 



Some use is made above of Dr. Thurber's description in 8. 

 Wats. Bot. Calif. 2:288 (1880). Prof. Scrihner, Coult. Hot. (iaz. 

 13:171 (1880), says: "It is a valuable forage plant, as it does not 

 ])ossess the long and very sharp-])ointed rachilhi below the llowei'ing 

 glume which renders S. sparlm Triu. ('Porcupine-grass') so inju- 

 rious to stock." 



Kooky Mountains. 



Var. Lettermani Vasoy, Coutrib. U. S. Xat. Mus. 3: 50(1892). 

 X Lctfermnni Vascy, Bull. Torr. Club, 13: 53 (188(;). 



Leaf-blades fdiform: panicle slender, 10-15 cm. long, inter- 

 rupted; lower rays 3-4 cm. long, mostly single. 



Utah, Jones; Idaho, Letterman 102 for U. 8. Dept. Agricul. 



Var. minor Vascy, Contrib. Nat. Herb. 3 : 50 (1892). Culms, 

 leaf, and spike slender. 



Kocky Mountains, Wciman; Oregon, Jones. 



Var. pubescens Vasey. 1. c. Awn pubescent to the second bend. 



West Washington, Sid-sdorf. 



Var. robusta \'asey 1. c. Culms very stout, 1 cm. diam.; spike 

 30 cm. long. 



California, Vasey. 



18. S. multinode Scribn. ined. 



Culms erect, slender, branching once below the middle, about 



