Further criticism of Mr. Nash’s ‘New or noteworthy 
American grasses.’ 
Notes on Sporobolus. 
Some confusion exists in regard to certain North American 
species of Sporobolus, as is manifested in botanical publica- 
tions of this country, and especially in our larger herbaria. — 
A writer in a recent Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 
attempted to clear up this confusion, but, through an evident 
misconception of the species, has unintentionally added to- 
it. Agrostis brevifolia Nutt. has been taken up for Sporo- 
bolus cuspidatus (Vilfa cuspidata Torr.), and there is no 
doubt as to their identity. Nuttall very clearly and fully 
described his species (Agrostis brevifolia) in the first volume — 
of his ‘‘Genera,” and Sporobolus cuspidatus is equally well char- 
acterized by Hooker in the second volume of his ‘‘Flora Bore- 
ali-Americane,” and there is only one grass in the region of | 
the type localities to which these descriptions could apply. 
I can not help thinking that the writer in the Bulletin, above 
referred to, must have failed to fully read Nuttall’s descrip- 
tion of Agrostis brevifolia, or he would not have applied it 
to the very distinct species noted below. One essential and 
almost decisive character given by Nuttall for Agrostis brevt- 
folia is: ‘‘Culms solid and compressed . . ._ not terete, 
but solid and ancipital.” This character affords a clue t0 
Nuttall’s plant, and, combined with the others given, leaves | 
no doubt as to its identity with Sporobolus cuspidatus, fot 
there is no other grass within the range (Fort Mandan on the | 
Missouri) possessing all these characters. Another good 
character presented by this grass is a minute pubescence at 
and extending for a greater or less distance below, the nodes: 
This character holds good throughout all specimens in the 
National Herbarium. 
For the species we have the following synonymy: 
Sporobolus cuspidatus Scribn. Bull. Torr. Bot. Club 10: 63. 
Sporobolus brevifolius (Nutt.) Scribn. Mem. Torr. Bot. Club 5: 39- 
Vilfa cuspidata Torr. Hook.Flor. Bor. Am. 2: 238. 
Vilfa gracilis Trin. Agros. 1: 82. not V. gracilis Trin. 1. c. 52 
Agrostis brevifolia Nutt. Gen. 1: 44. 1818. 
eae ee 
1 The two following articles received independently may be combined leer 
editors under this caption. See also Bor. Gaz. 20: 554. D 1895, and Mr. N 
reply on p. 4! of this number.—Eps. 
[14] 
