No. 44. 
BOUTELOUA RAMOSA Scribner. 
Culms many from a crowded short rootstock, strongly rooted, wiry-branched 
and almost woody below, slender, above leafy to the inflorescence, erie; 
Leaves with blades narrow, short, 1 to 2 inches long, attenuated to a fine point; 
sheath smooth, striate, with a fow long hairs at the top; ligule very neues 
ce consisting usually of 2 spikes, 1 to 14 inches apart at he apex 7 
Inflorescen 
of the culm, 1 to 14 inches long, crowded ith the 20 to 30 ang te 
_ Spikelets about 24 lines long, with 1 perfect and 1 imperfect flow 
Empty glwmes smooth, acute, unequal; lower less than <i tec as oe as the 
upper, narrow; upper lanceolate, nearly 2 lines long; flowering glumes over 2 lines 
long, lanceolate, clothed with long white hairs on the back and margins, divided 
at the apex into 3 sharply awned lobes. 
Palet narrower, 2-toothed at the apex, smooth.’ Imperfect flower consisting of 
3 awns with 2 or 3 imperfect glumes at their base, on a short pedicel densely 
hairy-tufted at the apex. 
PLATE XLIV: a, spikelet spread open to show the parts; b, empty glumes; c, 
flowering glume; d, palet; e, imperfect or sterile flower and its pedicel. © 
This species extends from northern Mexico to Arizona and western Texas, 
