No. 68. 



PLEUROPOGON CALIFORNICUM Vasey; Lophochlcena Californica 

 Nees. Ann. Nat. Hist. i. 283 (1838). 



Plant apparently annual, tufted, with fibrous roots. 



Culms erect or somewhat decumbent at base, rather weak, smooth, leafy nearly to 

 the panicle, 2 to 4 feet tall. 



Leaves of culm 3 or 4; sheaths smooth, equaling or exceeding the internodes, the 

 lower ones short and membranaceous, the uppermost loose and long, half open at the 

 throat; blade flat or folded, blunt-pointed, smooth or barely rough above, 1 to 3 lines 

 wide, 3 to 12 inches long; ligule very thin, nearly acute, 2 to 3 lines long. 



Inflorescence an erect or somewhat flexuous, simple, secund panicle of 6 to 12 

 spikelets, ascending on pedicels 2 to 3 lines long at intervals of 1 inch or more. 



Spilcelets linear-oblong, 10- to 20-flowered, 1 inch long or less; empty glumes 

 oblong, obliquely obtuse, thin-membranaceous, smooth, 1-nerved below, the first 1 to 1£ 

 lines long, the second 1 hue longer; floral glume lance-oblong, erose or dentate at the 

 membranaceous, obtuse apex, scabxous, strongly 7 -nerved, 3 to 4 lines long; awn aris- 

 ing below the apex, 1 to 5 lines long; palet oblong, obtuse, nearly equaling the glume, 

 with flatly infolded margins, an acute wing midway on each keel, and shorter teeth 

 above; stamens 3, with linear anthers; grain reddish brown, oblong, strongly fur- 

 rowed, 1 line long; internode of rachilla smooth, 1 line long, disarticulating below the 

 rather prominent ring at the base of each floret. 



Plate LXYIII; a, empty glumes; &, floret; c, floral glume, dorsal view. 

 California to Oregon, in rather low meadow land. 



