BATONiA GKAMINfi^ 749 



MELICA 



E. obtnsata Gray Man. ed. 2, 558. Stems often stout, l-2>g feet high, 

 erect, simple, smooth : sheaths shorter than the internodes, usually more 

 or less rough, sometimes pubescent: ligules J^-1 line long: leaves 1-9 

 inches long, 1-4 lines wide, scabrous : panicle 2-6 inches long, dense and 

 usually spike-like, strict, the branches IX inches long or less, erect : spike- 

 lets crowded, IJ^-IK lines long: empty glumes unequal, often purplish, 

 the first narrow, shorter than and about J^ as wide as the obtuse or almost 

 truncate second one : flowering glumes narrow, obtuse, J^-1 line long. 

 €alJiornta to Washington and the Eastern States. 



E. PeunsylTanlca Gray 1. c. Stems slender,' erect, smooth, 1-3 feet 

 Mgh;.eheaths''shoTter than the internodes: ligules % line long: leaves 2-7 

 inches long, 1-3 lines wide, rough: panicle 3-7 inches long, contracted, 

 often nodding, lax, its branches 1-3 inches long : spikelets 1J4-1M 1™6 long, 

 usually" numerous, somewhat crowded, and appressed to the branches: 

 empty glumes unequal^ the first narrow, shorter than and about % as wide 

 as the obtuse or abruptly acute second one which is smooth or somewhat 

 rough on the keel; flowering glumes narrow, acute, ]^ lines long. In 

 moist soil, eastern Washington to the Eastern States. 



38 MELICA L. Sp. 66. 



Tall perennial grasses with flat leaves and contracted or open 

 panicles. Spikelets 1- to several-flowered, often secund, rachella 

 extended beyond the flowers and usually bearing 2-3 empty club- 

 shape hooded scales, convolute around each other. Two lower 

 glumes empty, membranous, 3-6-nerved ; flowering glumes. larger, 

 rounded on the back, 7-13 nerved, sometimes bearing an awn, 

 the margins more or less scarious. Palets broad, shorter than 

 the glume, 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Style distinct. Stigmas plu- 

 mose. Grain free enclosed in the glume and palet.'', 



§ 1 EuMELiCA. Empty glumes nearly or quite equalling the 

 flowers. Flowering glumes scarious margined, obtuse and entire 

 at the apex. Sterile flowers clavate, hooded, or like the others, . 

 but smaller. 



M. interrupta Trin. Mem. Acad. St. Petersb. 1840, 59. Stems tufted, 

 slender, 1-3 feet high, from strong fibrous roots : leaves narrow, long-acu- 

 minate, from smooth to very scabrous and pilose-pubescent : panicle 8-12 

 inches long, its branches in remote fascicles, very, unequal, the lower 1-3 

 inches long: spikelets 5 lines long, minutely scabrous, 1-flowered, with an 

 impei;fect floret: first empty glumes 3-nerved, second larger and indistinct- 

 ly 5-nerved : flowering glume acutish, strongly 7-nerved, usually purplish 

 above except the scabrous margins: palet about as long as the glume, 2- 

 toothed : sterile flowers shortrpedicelled, % as long as the perfect ones, 

 sometimes enclosing a second one. Oregon to California. 



Ma stricta Bolander Proc. Cal. Acad, iii, 4. Densely tufted, 1-2 feet 

 high, tale green: stems erect, or geniculate below, branched at base, softly 

 pubescent to scabrous: sheaths retrorsely velvety-pubescent, longer than 

 the internodes: ligules about 2 lines long : leaves 3-4 inches long, 1-2 lines 

 wid*, flat, or involute toward the rather rigid points, velvety-pubescent on 

 both sides: panicle secund, of 6-12 nodding spikelets, the scabrous branches 

 moEJtly single, erect, making the panicle appear single : spikelets 5-7 lines 

 long, with 2-3 perfect flowers and rather large rudiments: empty glumes 

 lance-oblong, narrowed below, obtuse or barely acute, thin smooth, 5-nerv- 

 ed,' 4-6 lines lonfe, the first slightly shorter; flowering glumes lanceolate, 

 acute, minutely hispid, 7-nerved; 4}^-5>^ lines long : palet obovate-oblong, 

 obtuse, minutely hispid, pubescent on the arched keels. In the high 



