No. 31. 

 MUNROA SQUARROSA Torr. (Crypsis squarrosa Nutt.) 



Plant annual, low, glaucous, more or less wooly throughout or glabrous except 

 at the nodes. 



Root slender, filiform. • 



CmZots tufted, spreading, often prostrate, fasciculately branched, primary stems 

 2 to 4 inches long, secondary shorter, naked internodes striate, angular, and hispid 

 on the angles. 



Leaves ; radical and from sterile culms numerous, with flat blades {- to 1 inch 

 long ; of stem several, crowded with the spikelets at the nodes, or ends of branches ; 

 sheaths short, membranaceous, 7-nerved, ciliate ; blade flat, hispid, ciliate, acute,' 

 i to 1 inch long ; ligule a row of short, fine hairs. 



Inflorescences hidden in the tufts of leaves at the nodes and ends of branches. 



Spikelets 3- to 5-flowered, crowded in dense clusters at the apex of the branches ; 

 first glume narrowly lanceolate, hyaline, 1-nerved, 1\ lines long ; second glume 

 same but ± line longer ; floral glumes herbaceous, becoming coriaceous, 3-nerved, 

 tufts of pubescence on lateral nerves and near base of keel, entire or 2-tootked, 

 2 to 2i lines long, the central nerve excurrent in a short awn ; palet narrow, hyaline, 

 pubescent on the two nerves complicate ; upper flower in spikelets usually sterile! 



Grain translucent, cream-white, lance-oval, i to \ line long. 



Pl.\te XXXI; 1, cluster of spikelets; 2, spikelet; 3, second empty glume; 

 4, first empty glume; 5, floral glume, side view, and 6, same spread out, dorsal 

 view ; 7, palet ; 8, pistil ; 9, mature grain. 



A low, tufted grass growing on elevated plains from Mexico to British America, 

 usually associated with BucMoe dactyloides, but not liked by cattle. 



