GRASS FAMILY. 41 



lines long, entire, obtuse; blades 4*4 to 13 in. long, 4% to 7% lines wide; 

 in small specimens only 2 to 3 in. long, and 3 lines wide; thyrse very dense and 

 compact, from ovoid-oblong and 1 in. long, to oblong-cylindrical and 2 1 /, in. 

 long, about ^ in. wide; spikelets 2 to 3 lines long and 1 line or more wide, 

 lanceolate acuminate, with a narrow, thin keel above the middle, sometimes 

 irregularly notched; keel and veins ciliate-scabrid ; empty bractlet reduced to a 

 single, short, arcuate-subulate bristle with a distinct callus at the base, about 

 io line long, closely appressed to the back of the upper flower-enclosing bract- 

 let; the latter 1% lines long, acute, faintly 5-nerved, more or less pubescent 

 and ciliate above with silky hairs, pale brown, polished and shining where free 

 from hairs; anthers pale- or greenish-yellow. 



Indigenous to the Mediterranean Eegion; now naturalized in the Coast 

 Ranges and Great Valley. 



4. P. paradoxa L. Gnawed Canary-grass. Stems erect, from a genicu- 

 late base, % to 2% ft. high, often branched from the lower nodes; sheaths 

 usually inflated; ligule 1% to 2y 2 lines long, obtuse and soon lacerate; blades 3 

 to 7% in. long, \y 2 to 2 lines wide, flat, scabrous on both surfaces, glaucescent : 

 panicle oblanceolate, obtuse, appearing as though gnawed below; usually only 

 the primary branches bearing perfect spikelets, those of the secondary branches 

 being abortive or imperfect ; the pedicels of the spikelets in the lower one-third 

 or one-half of the thyrse are much reduced and their spikelets peculiarly 

 aborted; perfect spikelets of lower part of thyrse about 2y 2 lines long, their 

 bracts acuminate but not awned; those of the upper part about 1 line longer 

 and awn-pointed; keel of bracts narrow, terminating in a long or short horn 

 at -.-, from the base; staminate and neuter spikelets 2 to 2% lines long, the 

 keel running almost to the apex and shortly or barely horned; empty bractlets 

 2, minute, about % line long, appressed to the flower-enclosing bractlet like 

 horny calluses, each with 2 slender cilia-like hairs about their own length at 

 or near the apex; flower-enclosing bractlet about 1% lines long, obtuse, firm, 

 subglabrous and shining; achene brown, with a black apex. 



Native of the Mediterranean Region, naturalized in the Coast Ranges and 

 Great Valley. 



5. P. lemmoni Vasey. Lemmox 's Canary-grass. Annual; stems slender, 

 erect, 1% to 3 ft. high; sheaths scarcely inflated; ligule conspicuous, 2 to 3 

 lines long, decurrent ; blades 1 to 7% in. long, 1 to 4 lines wide, long-acuminate; 

 thyrse 1 to 4 1 ,4 in. long, nearly cylindrical, sometimes slightly interrupted below; 

 spikelets spreading, 2 to 2y 2 lines long; bracts sub-equal, scabrid-keeled, not at 

 all, or only minutely winged, narrow and acuminate; empty bractlets 2, about 

 ] 2 line long, very narrow, shortly hairy below; flower-enclosing bractlet iy 2 to 

 2 lines long, abruptly acuminate, pubescent. 



Apparently restricted to California: Santa Cruz Mts. and southward, very 

 rare. 



6. P. amethystina Trin. Purple Canary-grass. Perennial; stems stout, 

 erect, usually 4 to 8 ft. high, often growing in large clumps; ligule 2 to 31^ 

 lines long, obtuse; blades 2% to 8% in. long, 4 to 6 lines wide; margins 

 scabrid; peduncle long, slender; thyrse l 1 /^ to 3% in - long, about % in - 

 broad, ovate or ovoid, usually purplish; spikelets 3 to 3% lines long; bracts 

 strongly keeled but not winged, acute, glabrous except for the scabrid keel; 

 empty bractlets 1% to 1% lines long, hirsute except on the nerve, which is 

 shining; flower-enclosing bractlet 2 to 2% lines long, acuminate, shining, 

 sparsely hairy. 



