No. 37. 

 TRIODIA PULCHELLA H. B. K. ( Uralepis pulcheUa Kth.) 



Plant a low, tufted perennial, with bulbous base, arising from a slender creep- 

 ing rootstock. 



Culms spreading, f asciculately branch ed, at the extremity of long, naked inter- 

 nodes. 



Leaves; radical and of culm alike, numerous, clustered at the base, and around 

 the fascicles of branches leaving the internodes naked; sheaths short, open, taper- 

 ing, scarious; blades narrow, folded and involute; ligule a minute fringe, decurrent 

 down the membranaceous margin of the sheath. 



Inflorescence, small clusters of light-colored spikelets terminating the short 

 clustered branches. 



Spikelets lanceolate, compressed, 7- to 10-flowered, 2 lines wide, 3 to 4 lines long; 

 internode of rachilla articulate below, i line long; first glume lance-ovate, acumi- 

 nate, carinate, hyaline, smooth, 1-nerved, 2 to 2i lines long; second glume same 

 but i line longer; floral glume oblong, 2 lines long, cleft above half way to base or 

 more, making 2 long narrow margined lobes, between which the midrib is extended 

 as an awn longer than the lobes, 2 lateral nerves nearly marginal, profusely ciliate, 

 pubescent below; palet oblong, truncate, thin, pubescent below, and on the 2 keels. 



Grain pear shaped, translucent, light yellowish color, with opaque, brownish 

 base | line long. 



Plate XXXVII; 1, young plant; 2, plant in flower; 3, at maturity; a, spikelet; 

 b, empty glumes; c, floral glume, dorsal and side views; d, palet. 



Texas to California and Mexico. 



