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. 



Culms 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, 

 £ 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 i line longer ; floral glumes herbaceous, becoming coriaceous, 3-nerved, 

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

 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 i line long. 



Plate 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 Buchloe dactyloides, but not liked by cattle. 



