GRA2.TIWEAE 



* Ari sti da glabryata, Smooth Three-Awn, is a dense bunch grass 

 found in our range only in southern Arizona. Jt extends also into 

 lover California* According to Professor J. J. Thornber of the 

 University of Arizona, this is excellent forage grass. It is suf- 

 ficiently abundant in some places to be considered a good soil 

 b inde^. 



Aristida hamuiosa is a Three -Awn. very closely resembling the 

 Poverty Three-Awn and often confused with it. According to 

 Hitchcock's lAanual of Grasses it is more common in Arizona than the 

 Poverty Three-Awn. Its range is fron Texas to southern California 

 and. south to Guatemala. 



Three other Aristidas which arc more or less abundant in the 

 Southwest arc A. lon gisota , lied Throe -Awn 5 A. purpura sc ons , Arrow- 

 fcatherj and A. -ansa, .00 ton Throo-Ar.n. Each one of these is 

 abundant in places but none are outstanding for forage or as soil 

 binders . 



Aristida pin nata , .Pinnate Three-Awn. En low reports this 

 grass to be remarkable as a sand binder in Asia Kinor, There it 

 grows largo and forms spreading clumps which are effective soil 

 binders in sand dunes. In the nursery at Tucson this and a couple 

 of varieties are rather indifferent and thus far do not come up to 

 expectations. Until they have been tried extensively, however, they 

 will not be given up. In the mosquito sand dune regions of Texas 

 and Now ncxico, in the drifting sands along the Rio Grande and in 

 the Shinn cries of eastern New 1'exico, this species or its varieties 

 may find a worthwhile place. Unfortunately we are not in a position 

 at present to establish observational plots in these regions. 



♦Astrcbla lappacea. '..hat is in a common name 1 "any of our 

 exotics have not "yet" acquired common names v. r ith us. This grass 

 night be designated as aat Tail iron its very long, slender curved 

 spikes of seeds. "vVhilo the culms are two foot or more in length, 

 the bunches do not stand nearly so high as both culms and leaves 

 curve, the spikes often touching the ground. The culms and seed 

 spikes of this species are coarse, >-hilc this appears to be a 

 grass well adapted tc oui warmer sites, its use may be United by 

 the difficult;," in collecting the seed, the grass being very hard 

 to mow because of the recurved habit of stems and leaves. 



*Astrebla elynoides. This ■night be called the slender rat- 

 tail as the seed spikes are much more slender than the Last named 

 specj.es. It is very similar in habit and probably the two could 

 be used ind iscriminatel'-. 



