200 
GRAMINEAE 
more or less pubescent; spike erect, oblong, 1.5 to 4 cm. long, about 10 
mm. wide, rounded at base; glumes setaceous, about 1.5 cm. long; lemma 
of lateral spikelets reduced, the awn 2 to 3 mm. long; lemma of central 
spikelets 5 mm. long, the awn somewhat longer than the glumes.—Fields 
and waste places, common in cent. Cal., rare in S. Cal.; nat. from Eur. 
4. H. nodosum L. Meadow Barley. Culms tufted, erect or genicu¬ 
late-ascending, 1.5 to 6 dm. high; blades relatively short and erect; spike 
slender, 2 to 8 cm. long; glumes all setaceous, 8 to 15 mm. long; floret of 
lateral spikelets much reduced.—Meadows and open ground throughout 
the state. 
17. ELYMUS L. Wild Rye 
Erect, usually rather tall, mostly perennials, with flat or rarely con¬ 
volute blades and erect or nodding spikes. Spikelets usually crowded, 
2 to 6-flowered, in pairs (rarely 3 or more or solitary) at each node of a 
continuous rachis, the florets dorsiventral to the rachis. Glumes equal, 
usually rigid, narrow, 1 to several-nerved, acute to aristate, somewhat 
asymmetric and often placed in front of the spikelets. Lemmas rounded 
on the back or nearly terete, obscurely 5-nerved, acute or usually awned 
from the tip. (Greek elumos, ancient name for a kind of millet.) 
Glumes subulate or very narrow, glabrous; plants perennial, with rhizomes. 
Blades 2 to 6 mm. wide.1. E. triticoides. 
Blades 1 to 2 cm. wide..2. E. condensatus. 
Glumes lanceolate, with 2 to 4 scabrous nerves; plants perennial, without rhizomes. 
3. E. glaucus. 
1. E. triticoides Buckl. Culms usually glaucous, 6 to 12 dm. high, 
commonly in large masses; rhizomes extensively creeping, the scales 
sometimes reddish; blades flat, or soon involute; spike 10 to 18 cm. long, 
slender, sometimes branched, 1 to 1.5 cm. long; lemmas 6 to 10 mm. long, 
glabrous, short-pointed, brownish.—Moist bottomland and alkaline* soil 
throughout the state. 
2. E. condensatus Presl. Giant Rye Grass. Culms in large clumps, 
stout, 9 to 18 dm. high, producing stout knotty rhizomes; blades flat; 
spike erect, usually dense, 15 to 30 cm. long, sometimes branched; spike¬ 
lets 1.2 to 2 cm. long; glumes awn-pointed, usually 1-nerved, or nerve¬ 
less, about as long as the first lemma; lemmas awnless or mucronate.— 
Dry plains and hillsides and along gullies and ditches: South Coast 
Ranges near the coast; S. Cal. 
3. E. glaucus Buckl. Western Rye Grass. Culms erect, 6 to 12 dm. 
high; blades flat (rarely more or less involute), 5 to 10 mm. wide, sca¬ 
brous on both surfaces; spike somewhat nodding, usually dense, long- 
exserted, 5 to 15 cm. long, rarely longer; spikelets 1 to 1.2 cm. long; 
glumes about as long as the spikelet; awn of lemma 1 to 2 times as long as 
the body.—Open woods, copses, and dry hillsides, throughout the state; 
n. to Alas., e. to Mich, and Mo. Var. jepsonji Davy. Sheaths and blades 
more or less pubescent.—Dry woods and ravines, Napa Valley. The 
species is exceedingly variable. 
18. SITANION Raf. 
Cespitose perennials, with bristly spikes. Spikelets 2 to few-flowered, 
the uppermost floret reduced, usually 2 at each node of a disarticulating 
