MANUAL OF THE GRASSES OF THE WEST INDIES 93 
9. Aristida erecta Hitche., Contrib. U. S. Natl. Herb. 12: 236. 1909. 
Cuba, Wright 3432. 
Culms erect, rather stout, as much as 1.5 m tall; blades flat, becom- 
ing involute especially toward the much-attenuate tip, as much as 1 m 
long, 3 to 5 mm wide; panicles narrow, as much as 50 cm long, the 
numerous very scabrous branches ascending or appressed, the lower 
as much as 10 em long or even longer, all spikelet-bearing from the 
base, the spikelets crowded on erect rather stout pedicels 2 to 3 mm 
long; glumes acuminate or awn-tipped, the first 3-nerved, 12 to 15 mm 
long, the second 1-nerved, 2 to 3 mm shorter than the first; lemma 12 
to 13 mm; awns divergent, the central 2 to 3 cm long, the lateral 
somewhat shorter. 
Savannas of western Cuba. 
Cupa: Santa Cruz de los Pinos, Ekman 17681 (Amer. Gr. Nat. 
Herb. 787). Herradura, Hitchcock 23441; Tracy 9076. San Diego 
(Pinar del Rio), Léon 4852. Gaune, Léon 6918. Without locality, 
Wright 3432. Isla de Pinos, Britton and Wilson 14959. 
10. Aristida vilfifolia Henr., Med. Rijks Herb. Leiden 54B: 671. 
1923. “Cuba; Amer. Gr. Nat. Herb. 791. 
Culms rather loosely tufted, erect, slender and wiry, 30 to 60 cm 
tall; blades flat or often involute, becoming curved or flexuous, thick- 
ened on the margins, mostly 3 to 5 cm long, sometimes as much as 
8 cm, on the innovations sometimes shorter, mostly not more than 
1 mm wide; panicles erect, narrow, 5 to 15 cm long, the branches short 
and appressed, approximate or often distant, especially below; glumes 
about equal, acute, 6 to 8 mm long; lemma 6 to 7 mm long, including 
the 0.5 mm long callus; central awn spreading, 10 to 15 mm long, the 
lateral awns erect or somewhat spreading, usually about two-thirds 
as long as the central, all nearly straight at base, sometimes contorted 
(Wright 3831, 3832). 
Sandy woods and savannas, Bahamas, Cuba, and Hispaniola. 
In the Grasses of the West Indies ** this species was referred to 
A. gyrans Chapm. of Florida. In the North American Species of 
Aristida 7” it was referred to A. purpurascens Poir., of the southern 
United States. 
~Bauamas: New Providence, Eggers 4447. 
Cusa: Pinar del Rio, Hitchcock 23258, 23266, 23282, 23309. Los 
Palacios, Léon 7395. Herradura, Hitchcock 232; Tracy 9095. Chiri- 
gota, Wright 3831, 3832. Camagiiey, Kkman (Amer. Gr. Nat. Herb. 
791). Baragua, Hitchcock 23375. Sierra de Nipe, Ekman 3086. Isla 
de Pinos, Taylor 20; Palmer and Riley 995. 
Haiti: Acul-Samedi, Ekman H 9909. 
Dominican REPUBLIC: Jarabaco, Ekman H 14160. 
11. Aristida curtifolia Hitchc., Contrib. U. S. Natl. Herb. 12: 235. 
1909. Cuba, Wright 736. 
Culms densely tufted, stiffly erect, wiry, 20 to 60 cm tall, the 
alternate nodes often shortened, thus bringing the leaves together in 
approximate pairs; blades short, thickish, stiffly spreading, flat or 
mostly soon involute, 5 to 20 mm long, 0.5 to 1 mm wide, or the 
upper reduced to mere awns 2 to 3 mm long; panicles narrow, nearly 
26 Contrib. U. S. Natl. Herb. 18: 366. 1917. 
27 Contrib. U. S. Natl. Herb. 22: 571. 1924. 
