270 



POACK.K. 



5;}. (lie). LycuRUC II. I{. K. Nov. (Ion. ct. Sp. 1:141 

 (ISI.')). (1coj>,);/„H >iut(. ,I(juni. Acad. IMiil. (II.) 1:1S!) (1847). 

 Spiki'lets l-ll(»\v't'ri'(i, inirrow, siii^Mi' or in pairs, sessile or on very 

 short hnuu.'lu'S of the spikeliko panicle, raehiilavery short, sultartie- 

 ulate aliove the empty <f|unies und not produced l)eyond the llower. 

 Knii)ty ^'lunus 2, inenil>ran()us. the outer with 'i-',\ nerves, exti-nd- 

 JUiT ii>to bristles, second shorter, narrower. !-awned: lloral 'dnmo 

 uwiied, lon^'er and wider than the others, ;{-nerved : palea sh'nder, 

 :3-nerved, or "J-kei'li'd. briefly •.'-toothed. There are sonic sterile 

 8pikelets. Stamens ;{. Styles short, distinct, drain inclosed l)y 

 the firm lloral <rlume and ])alea, but uot adherent. 



These f^rasses are tul'teil. asoendin.Lr. or erect with solid cnlms, 

 leaf-bhaU's soon eonduplicale. Spikes eylindrieal. narrow, exserted 

 or partially included by the .sheaths. 



There are two 8[)ecies found in Mexico so nearly alike that it is 

 ditlundt to distinjifnish one Trom the other. 



Following,' a su<;<jestion of lientham, I make one u more variety 

 of the other. As lieutluim stiites: ''The loui? dense cylindrical 

 spike with sterile spikelets intermixed with the perfect ones brin^ 

 the <(enu8 in connection with the subtribe Sesleriea' of Festucete; 

 but there is never more than a sinj^de flower in a spikelet." 



1. L. phleoides II. H. K. Nov. (Jen. et. Sp. 1:14',' (181.5). 



Culms compressed, scabrous, branch- 

 in*]^ sparingly, iJO-AO cm. hi«rh. Sheaths 

 compressed, about half as loni;' as the in- 

 ternodes; li<iule 3-4 mm. lon<,'; blades 

 mostly scabrous above, smooth on the 

 lower side, the lower ones 4-7 cm. long, 

 3 mm. wide, termimiting rather abrupt- 

 ly in a short bristle; the lon<fest on the 

 culm are 12 cm. long. Spikes cylin- 

 drical, clavate or tapering each way 

 from the middle, })artially included 

 Fig. 47. — Lycurus phleoides. when in flower, 4-7-10 cm. long, 5-8 

 Spikelets. (Richardson.) ^^ ^^j.^^,^ Spikelets narrowly elliptical, 



acute, 3-3.5 mm. long, a ring of dark color at the base and apex, 



