44 CONTRIBUTIONS b^ROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



duplo majore obtusa; palea inferiore 5-nervi apice potissimum et in mesonervo promi- 

 nente scabra, secus marginem erubescente, apice longe mucronata; palea superiore 

 aiigusta breviore bidentata. 



"Absque loco (Liebm. n. 517)." 



This species is unknown to us. 



Festuca tolucensis H. B. K. 



Festuca tolucensis H. B. K., together with its supposed synonyms F. muUiculmis 

 Steud., and F. aequipaleata Fourn., belong to a group of Mexican species that we are 

 unable to clear up with the evidence and material at hand. The group differs from 

 other Mexican species by the leaves possessing large ligulesand the palea being bifid. 

 The species are allied to F. thurberi Vasey, but differ in the bifid palea and awned 

 lemma. 



The following are the original descriptions: 



Festuca tolucensis H. B. K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 1 : 153. 1815. 



"F. culmis, vaginis foliisque scabris, setaceo-triquetris ; panicula simplici, laxa, 

 ramis alternis, rhachique scabris; spiculis obovato-oblongis, compressis, subsexfloris; 

 glum is paleisque scabris; arista brevi. 



^'Crescit in montosis, scopulosis, apricis regni Mexicani, inter Islahuaca et Toluca, alt. 

 1380 hexap. 2/ Floret Septembri. 



"Radix fibrosa. Cuimi caespitosi, erecti, bipedal es, simplices, striati, scabriusculi. 

 Folia convoluto-setacea, triquetra, apice subulata, scabra. Vaginae striatae, carinatae, 

 scabrae. Ligula ovata, obtusa, glabra. Panicula simplex, laxa, quadri- aut quin- 

 quepollicaris, ramis alternis, adscendenti-patulis, triquetris, scabris, distantibus. 

 Rhachis triquetra, scabra. Spiculae obovato-oblongae, quinque- aut sexflorae, flori- 

 bus distantibus. Glumae ovato-lanceolatae, acuminato-subulatae, carinatae, purpur- 

 ascentes, scabrae, inaequales, inferior dimidio brevior et angustior, superior spicula 

 dimidio brevior. Paleae lanceolatae, purpurascentes, scabrae, apice bidentatae, 

 inferior superiore paullo longior, inter dentes breviter aristata, superior bicarinata." 



Festuca muUiculmis Steud. Syn. PI. Gram. 310. 1854. 



"Radice validule fibrosa, caespitifera, caespitibus constantibus e plurimis culmis 

 sterilibus foliiformi convolutis rigidis basi vaginatis et foliiferis culmum fertilem 

 (solitarium, an semper) aequantibus; vaginis striatis foliis brevi bus convolutis; culmi 

 floriferi foliis inferioribus sterilibus similibus, superioribusplaniusculisangustissimis; 

 vaginis scabriusculis; panicula simplici (2-3-pollicari) laxa; radiis solitariis alternis 

 inferioribus 3- superioribus uni-spiculatis; spiculis ovatis patulis laxis (3 ^^^et ultra 

 longis) sub-5-floris glumis inaequalibus flosculis brevioribus; valvula inferiore scabra 

 fusco purpurea infra lutescenti-albida obscure nervosa simpliciter acuminata vel ex 

 apice brevissime bidentula aristulata. An F. tolucensis H. B. var.? Heller Hrbr. 

 nr. 306. Mons Tolucco Mexico." 



Festuca aequipaleata Fourn. Mex. PI. 2: 125. 1881. 



' ' Differt a F. Tolucensi foliis retrorsum scabris, paleis aequalibus, inferiore brevi- 

 ter mucronata, superiore profunde bifida. 



" In monte Orizabensi, 14,000^ (Liebm. n. 511, 513)." 



In the National Herbarium are two sheets of specimens from Fournier, one of no. 

 511, Liebmann, the type of F. aequipaleata Fourn., the other no. 510, Liebmann, 

 referred by Fournier t9 F. tolucensis H. B. K. Both of these sheets are mixtures, 

 each containing apparently two species, representing in all three species, or else 

 three forms of one variable species. The specimens all agree in having large ligules 

 aw^ned lemmas, and bidentate paleae, but differ in the form of the panicle, the size of 

 the spikelets, and the shape of the florets. To complicate matters still more the 

 'remaining sheets examined all differ more or less, while retaining the essential char- 



