418 POAC'K.K. 



Poronn'uil, 20-00 cm. hif^li. lit'iil'-hliidcs smooth or roupfli 

 abovo, ',i-V) cm. Ion;,', l.r)-2mm. wide, liuiry at tlu! li^julo. SpikcM 

 1-3 iu number, nircly 4 to 5, rcmoti', ;*-4 cm. Ion;;; iK'(licclri '^-\\ 

 mm. ioi»K. «bort, hairy, often with ii l)ruct )l-A times us lon;r; 

 nichillu not projocitin;,' beyond the spikeleta. Spikoleta T mm. 

 h»n;;; em|»ty ghimea villous, l-nerved, Hrst huuseolute, 4.r) mm. 

 long, second ovjite-iunceoliito, 7.5 mm. long, sparsely hairy on 

 wurty glands; floral glume hairy on the back, 5.5 mm. long, not 

 ImMuding setre, and 1.5 mm. wide; lateral seta) extending to the 

 top of the ii-cleft middle lobe, not including a seta about 1 mm. 

 long; palea us long as its glume; rachilla above the llorot about 

 1.5 mm. long, clothed above the middle with soft hairs 2-3 mm. 

 long, bearing 3 setiu about mm. long, the lateral oiu's wing- 

 margined on the inside above; still another, broad involute emar- 

 ginate 3-lobed empty glume 1.5 mm. long. 



Nebraska, Dtijf)'//; Texas, Nealley; Montana (Nor. Trans. 

 Cent. Surv.), ('<inbi/ d' Scn'bticr. 



AVisconsin, California to Texas and Mexico. 



Vur. major Vusey, ined. Much larger, culms often TO cm. high; 

 loaves longer, si)ikes 3-5 cm. long. Spikelots, glumes, and palea 

 about the same us those of the species. 



Mexico. 



Vur. pallida Scribn. ined. Spikes light yellowish green. 



Mexico, Priniih 407. 



Vur. ramosa H(;ribn. B. ramosa Scribn. ; Vasey's Grasses S. W. 

 Part 1, 44 (ISO 1). Mucli branched. 



Alexico, Prnif/h' Hi. 



Mr. Pringlesays: " The most ul)undant species of the plains, 

 especially abundant and forming a close sod in the low arid portions. 

 In amount of yield and quality it is surpassed by no common grass 

 of the plains, and is the one native species adapted to forming per- 

 manent mowing, and one, I believe, which would, us well as any 

 species emi)loyed in Americun agriculture, bear the effects of close 

 grazing in enclosed areas." 



6. B. polystachya (Henth.) Torr. Pacif. 11. Uep. 5:306. /. 10 



