i 



57 



Trisetum subsptcatum, Beaiiv. ^orthPass. (1-172.) Baker's Mine. 



(1173.) 

 T. ALPESTRE, Beauv. Twiu Lakes. (1174.) The pauicle is quite open 

 and expanded, and corresponds well with European specimens of T, 



alpestre. 



T. TToLFii, H. s}). Apparently ciiespitose, and from a runninfj root-stock; 

 culms erect, 1 to 1 J feet high, smooth ; culm-leaves short, 2 to 4 

 inches; lower leaves and sheaths somewhat scabrous; ligule lacerate ; 

 flowers in an upright, close panicle, which is 2 to 4 inches long, 1 to 2 

 rays at each joint; spikelets lanceolate, 2-flowered, and with a rudi- 

 ment or continuation of the rachis half as long as the uppor flower j 

 the rachis and rudiment villous hairy ; glumes lanceolate, membra- 

 naceous, acuminate, equaling the flowers, which liave a few hairs at 

 the base; lower palet lanceolate, acuminate, slightly split or 2- 

 toothed at the apex, obscurely 5-nerved, bearing near the point a 

 straight appressed awn, which extends to the apex of the palet, or a 

 little beyond it ; upper palet shorter; grain oblong or linear, nearly 

 as long as the palets. Collected at Twin Lakes, Colorado. A very 

 similar, if not identical, species was collected in the Eocky Mountains 

 in 1868 on- the expedition of Major Powell, and distributed as No. 

 093 of Yasey's collection. This species might easily be mistaken for 

 GrapJiepJiorum melicoides^ but a close examination discovers the short 

 awn on the back of the palet. But some specimens of 6. melicoides from 

 near Mount Kineo, Maine, also possess a short awn, though shorter 

 than these Kocky Mountain specimens. Other specimens of G. meU- 

 coides from Canada fail to show any awn. The question arises whether 

 these short-awned specimens should be considered as belonging to 

 Graphephonm or Trisetum. This species is dedicated to its discov- 

 erer, Mr. John Wolfe, of Illinois. 



AiEA C^SPITOSA, L. South Tark. Twin Lakes. (1175.) Some of the 



specimens have awns exceeding the palets. 

 HiEROCHLOA noBEALis, K. & S. South Park. (1176.) 

 Beckmannia ekuc^formis, Host. Saguache Creek. (1177.) 

 Leptubus pat^iculatus, Kutt. Denver. (1178.) 



The collection of grasses above catalogued is probably the largest and 

 completest ever made in the mountains of Colorado, and does great credit 

 to the keen and experienced eye of Mr. John Wolfe, the collector. 



The greater part of the species are well known to science, but a few 

 are new, and others are collected in such fullness as to render more 

 satisfactory our knowledge of some difficult genera, especially of the 

 genus Foa. A number of the forms in this genus I have indicated with- 

 out names, from the difficulty of obtaining definite information respect- 

 ing them. Probably a competent revision of the genus will require the 



formation of some new species. 

 In an agricultural point of view, the grasses of this region deserve 

 ^ careful study. Some species, which have long been noted for their 



nutritious qualities, will probably not be able to hold their ground before 

 the advance of settlements, as the buffalo-grass {Bucliloe dactyloides) is 

 said to be gradually disappearing. Many different species are popularly 

 known as bunch-grass, the principal of which are probably Enocomay 

 Festtica. and one or two species of Poa. Probably some of the species 

 of Poa will yet be found as well adapted to cultivation on the pMns as. 

 the Poapratensis is for cultivation in the Eastern States. 



GEO. V ASLY. 



