No. 49. 
MELICA DIFFUSA Pursh. 
Plant perennial. 
Rootstock not seen. Roots slender. 
Culms usually single, simple, erect, 2 to 5 feet high, sometimes shorter, terete, 
glabrous. 
Leaves of the stem 4 to 6; sheaths usually distant, closely sheathing, glabrous, 
margins grown together to within about $ inch from the summit; blade 5 to 8 | 
inches long, flat and reaching 4 lines broad, or much narrower (1$ lines) and in- 
volute, smooth or scabrous on both surfaces, scabrous points on the upper surface 
often producing hairs; ligule 1 to 2 lines long, lacerate when old. 
Inflorescence paniculate. Panicle long-pedunculate, 4 to 10 inches long, with 
3 to 7 nodes; branches 2 at each node, widely spreading, scabrous; one much the 
smaller, longer not exceeding 2} inches; rachis terete, nearly scabrous. Spikelets 
single, on slender scabrous pedicels enlarged and villous at the apex, abruptly 
bent just below. 
Spikelets narrowly to broadly Oblong. oe sae esi 4s to 6 lines long, 
2- to 4-flowered with rudiments of 1 or 2 others a 
Glumes with green nerved body and Snbaneee margins ae apex; first 
5-nerved, 3 to 35 lines long, oval, apex from broadly acute to acuminate; second 
about 5-nerved, 4 to 5 lines long, oblong-oblanceolate, apex broadly acute; flower- 
ing glume narrowly oblong, many-nerved, acute, scabrous on the back, | to 3 nerves 
passing through the membranaceous margin to the apex, lowest 4 to 55 lines long, 
upper successively shorter. 
Flowers hermaphrodite. Palet oblong-oblanceolate in position, ciliate on the 
2 nerves above, acute, with additional inflexed margins. Stamens 3; anthers linear, 
about 1} lines long. Stigmas not seen. 
Grain 1 line long, narrowly oblong, obtuse at both ends, loosely inclosed be- 
tween the glume and palet (and dropping from them when mature?); outer coat 
loose, wrinkled, and shining. 
PLATE LXIX; a and b, spikelet enlarged showing the parts, rachilla brokes oe ; 
above the second glume. te 
