430 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [DECEMBER 
According to MEYER® 22 Gramineae are alpine in the Caucasus. 
Of special interest are Phleum alpinum, Avena versicolor, Deschampsia 
flexuosa, Trisetum flavescens, Poa alpina, Koeleria cristata, and 
Festuca ovina. Besides these it is interesting to notice the occurrence 
of Calamagrostis caucasica Trin., Briza media L., Poa altaica Trin., 
Colpodium Steveni Trin., and Hordeum pratense Huds. 
If we extend the comparison to the Himalayas,’ we notice the pres- 
ence of 5 alpine species which occur also in Colorado (cf. Table III); 
also the occurrence of genera that are not represented in the other 
mountains, namely Hierochloa, Stipa, Deyeuxia, Danthonia, and 
Elymus (E. sibiricus L.). The very considerable elevation of 5500” 
is in these mountains reached by Trisetum subspicatum, Poa 
hirtiglumis Hook. f., and Elymus sibiricus L.; from between 4500 and 
5100™ the following are recorded: Hierchloa laxa Br., Agrostis 
inaequiglumis Griseb., Deyeuxia compacta Munro, D. nivicola Hook. 
f., D. pulchella Hook. f., Deschampsia caespitosa, Catabrosa sikkimen- 
sis Stapf, Poa alpina L., P. attenuata Trin., P. nemoralis L., P. 
flexuosa Wahl., P. tremula Stapf, and Festuca valesiaca Schleich. 
Two species of Stipa (S. concinna Hook. and S. mongolica Turcz.) 
ascend to an elevation of 4000™. 
The Himalayas are thus much richer in alpine types than any of 
the other mountains, a fact that becomes still more manifest when 
we compare the representatives of the other families. Nevertheless, 
the alpine Gramineae of the Himalayas do not possess any type whic 
from a biologic point of view deviates to any great extent from those 
of Colorado. For instance, Stipa and Elymus are really the only 
alpine genera in which the structure of spikelets is quite distinct 
from that of most of the others. It seems: altogether as if the 
alpine Gramineae are remarkably uniform in habit, and in is 
Structure, xo ae 
In speaking of Colorado especially, we have not in the alpine 
region a single type that may be compared with Buchloé, Munro®, 
Sporobolus, or Distichlis from the lowlands. The alpine rere 
tives are perennial, except Deschampsia calycina; they are met 
ind. 
© MEYER, Verzeichniss der Pflanzen, welche im Caucasus etc., gefunden si” 
St. Petersburg. 1831. 
7 HOOKER, J. D., Flora of British India. London. 1894. Vol. 6. 
