124 MISC. PUBLICATION 42 3, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



1. Oryzopsis hymenoides (Roem. and Schult.) Ricker in Piper, Contrib. 



U. S. Natl. Herbarium 11: 109. 1906. 



Stipa hymenoides Roem. and Schult., Syst. Veg. 2: 339. 1817. 

 Eriocoma cuspidata Nutt., Gen. PL 1: 40. 1818. 



Apache, Navajo, Coconino, Mohave, Yavapai, and Pima Counties, 

 dry open woods and sandy plains at medium altitudes, June to 

 August. ^ Manitoba to British Columbia, south to Texas, Arizona, 

 California, and northern Mexico. 



2. Oryzopsis bloomeri (Boland.) Ricker in Piper, Contrib. U. S. 



Natl. Herbarium 11: 109. 1906. 



Stipa bloomeri Boland., Calif. Acad. Sci. Proc. 4: 168. 1872. 



Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon, Coconino County (Siheus 1927) , 

 on a gravelly bank. Dry ground at medium altitudes, Montana to 

 eastern Washington, south to New Mexico, Arizona, and California. 



3. Oryzopsis micrantha (Trin. and Rupr.) Thurb., Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 



Proc. 1863: 78. 1863. 



Urachne micrantha Trin. and Rupr., Acad. St. Petersb. Mem. 

 VI. Sci. Nat. 5 u . 16. 1842. 



Navajo, Coconino, Maricopa, and Pima Counties, 1,800 to 7,000 

 feet, rocky slopes and dry, open woods, June to August. Saskatche- 

 wan to Montana, south to New Mexico and Arizona. 



43. PIPTOCHAETIUM. Pinyon-ricegrass 



Densely tufted perennial with narrow or involute leaf blades and 

 open few-flowered panicles; glumes subequal, acute; fruit obovate, 

 dark brown, asymmetric, glabrous or hispid; awn deciduous or per- 

 sistent, more or less geniculate, often twisted below; palea firm except 

 near the margins, its apex projecting above the lemma as a minute 

 point. 



1. Piptochaetium fimbriatum (H. B. *K.) Hitchc, Wash. Acad. Sci. 

 Jour. 23: 453. 1933. 



Stipa fimbriata H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Sp. 1: 126. 1815. 



Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Pima Counties, mostly 5,000 to 6,000 

 feet, rocky hills, limestone cliffs, and open woods. Western Texas, 

 Arizona, and Mexico. 



This grass is reported to make excellent forage. 



44. STIPA. Needlegrass 



Tufted perennials with usually involute leaf blades and narrow 

 or sometimes open panicles; spikelets disarticulating above the 

 glumes, the articulation oblique, leaving a sharp, bearded callus on the 

 floret; glumes equal, thin, narrow, longer than the floret; lemma 

 indurate, terete, terminating in a prominent geniculate awn, this 

 twisted below. 



These plants, known variously also as feathergrass, speargrass, 

 and porcupinegrass, make good forage while young, but some of the 

 species when mature are injurious, especially to sheep, on account 

 of the sharp-pointed fruits which penetrate the flesh and injure the 

 mouths and eyes of grazing animals. They are a nuisance in wool 

 and damage the hides, Sleepygrass (S. robusta) in certain districts 



