Hilaria jamesii (Torr.) Benth.

Pleuraphis jamesii Torr. Ann. I,yc. N. Y. 1 : 148. 1824
Hilaria Jamesii Benth. Jour. I^inn. See. 19 : 62. 1881,
Stems 1.5-5 dm. tall, erect, simple, usually hispidulous or puberulent below the inflorescence and below the nodes which are generally barbed; leaf-sheaths smooth or rough, glabrous; blades confined mainly to the lower portion of the stem, up to 2 dm. long, 2-3 mm. wide, spreading or erect, the margins involute, rough on the lower surface, the upper surface densely puberulent; inflorescence 3-7 cm. long, the axis commonly puberulent; spikelet-clusters 7-9 mm. long, about twice as long as the basal hairs; lateral spikelets with the empty scales linear-oblong, 3or 4-nerved, the nerves parallel, strongly hispidulous all over on the outside,
F
ciliate on the margins, 2-lobed, the flrst scale shorter than the second, strongly inequilateral,
the one lobe very narrow, as long as the other lobe or but little shorter, the midnerve
excurrent as a hispid awn between the lobes, much longer than the scale, the remaining nerves
vanishing below the apex, the second scale entire or minutely bifid at the apex, the nerves
vanishing at or below the apex or the midnerve sometimes excurrent as a short hispid point,
the flowering scales usually 2, 3or rarely 5-nerved; central spikelet with the empty scales
long-ciliate, the apex divided into 4—8 long-awned lobes, the midnerve excurrent usually at
or below the middle as a hispid awn longer than the scale, the flowering scale 3-nerved, or
rarely with an additional nerve on one side, the midnerve excurrent between the lobes as a
short hispid awn.
Type locality : On the high plains of the trap formation at the sources of the Canadian River. Distribution : Wyoming to Nevada, and south to western Texas and southern California.