FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERXS OF ARIZONA 97 



1. Lamarckia aurea (L.) Moench, Meth. PL 201. 1794. 



Oynosurus aureus L., Sp. PI. 73. 1753. 



Roosevelt (Gila County), Canyon Lake (Maricopa County), open 

 ground and waste places. Texas, Arizona, southern California, and 

 northern Mexico; introduced from the Mediterranean region. 



12. ARUXDO. Giaxtreed 



Tall perennial with broad linear leaf blades and plumelike panicles; 

 glumes as long as the spikelet, membranaceous, tapering to a slender 

 point; lemma thin, densely pilose, the nerves excurrent, the mid- 

 nerve extending into a straight awn. 



1. Arundo donax L., Sp. PL 81. 1753. 



Occasional along irrigation ditches hi southern Arizona. Texas to 

 southern California; introduced from the Old World. 



The stout culms are used for lattices, mats, and screens, and in the 

 construction of adobe huts. In Europe the culms are utilized for 

 reeds of clarinets and organ pipes. The plants are useful for wind- 

 breaks and for controlling erosion along streams. 



13. PHRAGMITEs. Common reed 



Coarse perennial with broad, flat, linear leaf blades and usually 

 large panicles; glumes unequal, the first about half as long as the 

 second; lemmas long-acuminate, glabrous, the summits of all of them 

 about equal; palea much shorter than the lemma. 



1. Phragmites communis Trim, Fund. Agrost. 134. 1820. 



At v. n do ph. ragm lit s L., Sp. PI. 81 . 1753. 



Apache. Navajo, Coconino. Maricopa, and Yuma Counties, marshes 

 and wet ground along irrigation canals and river banks. July to Oc- 

 tober. Distributed throughout the world. 



In Arizona and Mexico, where it is known as carrizo, shafts of 

 arrows, Indian prayer sticks, weaving rods, pipe stems, mats, screens, 

 cordage, nets, and thatching have been made from the culms of the 

 common reed. 



14. MELICA. Melicgrass 



Perennials with closed sheaths and usually rather narrow panicles 

 of large spikelets; glumes thin, acute or obtuse, nearly as long as the 

 lower floret; lemmas firm with scarious margins, awnless; palea much 

 shorter than the lemma. 



Several species are known as oniongrass. Two exotic species. .V. 

 altissima L. and M. ciliata L., are sometimes cultivated as ornamentals. 



Key to the specie* 



1. Spikelets not falling entire; pedicels straight; glumes nearly as Long a- the 

 spikelet; culms somewhat woody; panicles narrow, rather dense. 



3. M. FRUTES< 

 1. Spikelets falling entire; pedicels slender or capillary, recurved (2 



2. Spikelets 3-flowered, 8 to 10 mm. long; lower panicle branches spread- 

 ing 1. M. nitens. 



2. Spikelets 4- or .Vflowered, 10 to 15 mm. long; panicle branches nar- 

 rowly ascending or appres^ed 2. M. torteki. 



