GEAMINEAE 25 



long : spikelets 2"-2J" long : third scale of the spikelet aoutish, as long 

 as the palet, and somewhat exceeding the second. — ■Common in dry 

 grounds throughout. July-October. 



2. S. vaginaefloius (Torr. ) Wood. Tufted, slender, 6''-12' high : 

 leaves 'i'-V long, broad at base and attenuate into a long involute point : 

 sheaths somewhat inflated, the upper partially enclosing the few-flowered 

 simple panicle : spikelets 2"-2J" long, the three scales nearly equal in 

 length, or the outermost slightly shorter and exceeded by the acutely 

 tipped palet.— In dry soil near Kansas City, Courtney and Levasy. Not 

 common. August-October. 



3. S. negleotus Nash. G'-IS' high, much branched and spreading : 

 leaves long, involute, with conspicuously inflated sheaths : panicles small 

 and numerous, more or less enclosed in the sheaths : spikelets leas than 

 V long, the acute palet slightly longer than the acute third scale : second 

 scale slightly longer than the first and shorter than the third. — Often 

 common in dry ground and well distributed. August-October. 



4. S. cuspidatus (Torr.) Wood. 18' or less high, branching : leaves 

 long, involute : panicles 2^-4' long, exserted : scales long-acuminate or 

 cuspidate. — On dry rocky hills north of Eoanoke, Kansas City and at 

 Swope Park. August-September. 



5. S. heterolepis A. Gray. Culms stout, 3° high : leaves 1° long, in- 

 volute : panicle long exserted, 6' long and V wide, its branches short and 

 ascending : spikelets 2\" long. — Common on the prairie between Lee's 

 Summit and Greenwood ; also near Buckner. August-October. 



6. S. argutuB (Nees) Kunth. 1° high : leaves broad and rather 

 short : sheaths hairy at the throat : panicle 2'- 3' long with ascending 

 verticillate branches : spikelets very small, \" long, the first scale one- 

 quarter the length of the second and third, which are equal. — One clump 

 found as a waif near Westminster (Kansas City) along the Belt Line. 

 July-August. 



7. S. cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray. Culms 2° high, densely tufted: 

 leaves linear, 6' long : sheaths very hairy at the mouth : panicle long, 

 narrow and slender, usually more or less included : branches ascending, 

 scattered or sub verticillate : spikelets 1" long, about as in the last.^ — 

 Sandy bottoms along the Missouri River. Not uncommon. July-Sep- 

 tember. 



8. S. alroides Torr. 2J° high : leaves flat, attenuate to a long invo- 

 lute point, sparingly hairy at base : panicle 9' long, very compound with 

 widely spreading branches : spikelets \" long, the second and third 

 glumes equal and twice the length of the first. — Sparingly introduced in 

 the railroad yards at Sheffield. June. 



9. S. asperifoliua Nees & Meyen. Culms about 6' high from a decum- 

 bent base ; panicle 9,'-^' long, partly included, ascending, the branches 

 scabrous : spikelets on long capillary pedicels many times their length : 



