282 BOTANY. 
there seem to be no good characters to distinguish this from Vilfa depau- 
perata, Torr. | 
ViLFA MINIMA, Vasey.—Culms erect, 1-14’ high, branched at the base, 
slender; spikes simple, few-flowered, terminal and lateral, the lateral ones 
partly enclosed in the loose sheaths; flowers alternate, half a line long, 
pointed ; glumes membranaceous, obtuse, about half as long as the flowers; 
palets nearly equal in length; leaves mostly radical, short (4-4’), strongly 
nerved; lower sheaths inflated. This diminutive grass appears to be 
annual, very slender and delicate—On wet, sandy shores around Twin 
Lakes, Colorado, 1873 (1077), appears somewhat like V. depauperata, var. 
Jiliformis, but is distinct—PLare XXVII. Fig. 7. Plant, natural size. 
Fig. 8. Flower, magnified 15 diameters. Fig. 9. Cross-section of stem, 
greatly magnified. 
Vitra (SpoRoBoLus) crypranpra, Torr.—Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, 
1871, and 1872; Arkansas Valley, 1873 (1078). Var. FLEXUosus, Thurb., 
Nevada and Arizona, 1871 and 1872. In the variety, the panicle is longer _ 
and more slender, and the branches are capillary and flexuous. 
Vinra (SPOROBOLUS) ArRorDES, Trin. (Watson’s Botany 40th Parallel).— 
Called salt-grass and used for pasturage. Grows in alkaline soil. Nevada, 
1871 and 1872; Colorado, 1873 (1079); Deer Springs, Arizona, 1874 
(185); Albuquerque, N. Mex., 1874 (122); Sulphur Springs, Arizona, 1874 
(550). The leaves of this species and also of the preceding furnish a 
strong fibre, which might be utilized in making paper or cordage. 
Vitra (Sporopoius) aspertrouia, N. & M.—Nevada and Utah, 1871 
and 1872; Cottonwood Creek, Colorado, 1873 (1081); Saguache Creek, 
Colorado, 1873 (1082); Sanoita Valley, Arizona, 1874 (692). No. 1082, 
from Colorado, is a very luxuriant form, in which many of the specimens 
have 2-3-flowered spikelets. Many of these have the grain affected with 
a black smut. No. 692 is a long-stemmed, procumbent form. 
Vitra (Sporopo.us) ramuosa, H. B. K. (Watson’s Botany of the 40th 
Parallel)—Saguache Creek, Colorado, 1873 (1080). 
Vitra TRicHoLeEpIs, Torr. (Synopsis of Flora of Colorado).—Mount 
Graham, Arizona, 1874 (745); Sierra Blanca (801). Called bunch-grass 
in Arizona; makes an excellent forage (Dr. Rothrock). 
