No. 32, 
TRIODIA ACUMINATA (Munro.) Vasey. (Tricuspis acwminata Munro in 
erb. 
Plant annual or short-lived perennial, tufted with rather bulbous base. 
Culms erect, slender, not branching, slightly compressed, smooth or sparsely 
pubescent, 6 to 12 inches tall. 
Leaves ; radical, numerous, with short, tapering, compressed sheaths, and 
flat or folded, abruptly pointed, pubescent blades, 2 to 3 inches long; of culms 2 
or 3; sheaths mostly shorter than internodes, close, nearly smooth; blades like 
those of radical leaves but shorter; ligule a minute, bristle-like fringe. 
Inflorescence a contracted, close head or panicle, 1 to 2 inches long, light colored 
or often purplish, composed of 7 to 15 nearly sessile, densely flowered spikelets 
or branches, } to $ inch long, sometimes interrupted below 
Spikelets lanceolate, compressed, 9- to 12-flowered, 2 to 3 lines wide, 5 to 7 lines 
long; internode of pubescent rachilla less than } line long; first glume ovate, 
- or awl-pointed, —— scarious, smooth, 1-nerved, 2 to 2} lines long; 
ond glume same but nearly 4 line longer; floral glumes ovate, acuminate, 
slightly obtuse or somewhat 2-toothed at apex, carinate, membranceous, pubescent 
on the 3 nerves at base, 2 to 2} lines long, 2 lateral nerves marginal, midnerve ex- 
current in a short slender awn ; palet lanceolate, finely pubescent on the two prom- 
inent keels and at base, 1 to 14 lines long. 
Grain irregularly spindle shaped, ‘klar, 3 line long. 
PLave XXXII; a, spikelet ; b, empty glumes; c, floral glume; d, palet. 
Texas to Arizona, and Mexico. 
