Melica L.
M. stricta Bolander.
Spikelets very large, secund, horizontal, four to six-flowered; flowers stipitate, upper ones imperfect and abortive, slightly tinged with purple.
Glumes equal, oblong, membranaceous, five-nerved; nerves evanescent at about three-quarters the length of the glumes; scarious margined and pointed, nearly the length (one-half inch) of the flowers.
Paleæ very unequal, chartaceous; lower oblong, seven-nerved, all except the middle one evanescent at about two-thirds the length of the palea; scabrous, largely scarious margined and pointed; upper palea spathulate, bicarinate, ciliate, one-third shorter than the lower.
Ovary obovate, contracted near the truncated apex, sessile, smooth; styles terminal, divergent; stigmas plumose; pilis fasciculate, minutely serrate; squammulæ very small, connate, entire; stamens three; caryopsis?
Root perennial; culms upright, terate, striate, one and one-half feet high, very brittle; sheaths striate, scabrous; ligula exserted, lacerated; leaves narrow, one-sixteenth to two-sixteenths of an inch wide, acuminate, outside and margins scabrous, (four to seven inches long) striately nerved, upright, nearly appressed.
Raceme upright, rather simple; branchlets smooth, appressed, few-flowered; pedicels pubescent at the angle.
Collected by Mr. George W. Dunn, at Silver City, Nevada Territory.