FEftTUCE^E. 483 



nerves prominent, smooth, 3.T-3.'2 mm. lonfj; palea incurved, 

 emar<i;inato, ciliato on the keels, 'l-'i.S mm. h>ng. CJrain oval, 

 8h<rhtly compre.sHed, 1 nun. h)nj,' more or less. 



Texas, I/((/l7S1, L{n(//i('iitier "I'.n, 7.\Ci. J'tdi/irr \.VU). Ucrcfrhon 

 for r. S. Dept. Agriciil. r)S4, Priti'jh llMi'.i, Mvallcy; ^lississippi 

 (Oeeaii Spriiiirs), Tracy; New Mexico, Fendhr 913. 



Mississippi. Texas, and New Mexico. 



1-.'. E. tenuis (Kll.) A. (.'ray. Man. Ed. '2, 564 (1850). Poa 

 tenuis Ell. Fl. S. V. & (ia. 1 : 15(5 (ISli). 



Erect tufted perennials, GO-1^0 cm. hi;,di. Sheaths smooth or 

 more or less softly tomentose, the lower ones leaving the culm, 5-30 

 cm. long, the uitper extending a third to half the height of the 

 plant, throat ciliato; ligule a merering; blades smooth, firm, invo- 

 lute with long slender ti[)s, 30-60 cm. long, 3-5 mm. wide at the 

 base. Panicle usually but little exserted, o])en, ovoid or linear, 

 30-75 cm. long, rays numerous, mostly single, sometimes bearded 

 in the axils and with many capillary branches, the longest often '10 

 cm. long. Si)ikelet3 on very sleiuler pedicels. 2-30 cm. long, some- 

 what ilattened, oval or linear, :.'-G-l'.'-llowtMe>l : empty glumes 

 1-nerved, lanceolate or awl-shaped, first 1.5-3.5 mm. long, second 

 2-3 mm. long; Horal glume with three strong nerves, ovate-acute or 

 ovate-lanceolate, 2.5-3 mm. long: jialea slightly incurved, oval 

 when si)read, obtuse, nearly as long as its glume. Grain subglo- 

 bose, with a slight groove on one side, 1 mm. long. 



Illinois, Geyer, Patterson; Texas, Drifminond 7'3C), Lindheimer, 

 NeaJky; Xew Mexico, Wright Til, 1317. 



Sandy soils, New England to Texas and Xew Mexico. 



13. E. erosa Scribn. ined. 



A tufted perennial, about 00 cm. high. Sheaths smooth; ligule 

 bearded; blades involute, rigid, smooth below, 30— 10 cm. long, about 

 3 mm. wide. Panicle diffuse, ovoid, 30-40 cm. long, rays diverg- 

 ing, some of them in twos and threes, sparingly branched, branches 

 capillary and bearing 2-5 pedicellate spikelets. Spikelets light lead- 

 color, moderately flattened, linear, 4-1 2 -flowered, 0-12 mm. long; 

 empty glumes smooth, thin, ovate, 1-nerved, first about 1.0 mm. 

 long, second about 2 mm. long; floral glume broadly ovate, obtuse 



