Melica nitens (Scribn.). Threeflower Melic Habit: Tufted perennials with rhizomes and rather long and numerous roots. Culms: 80-120 cm. high, erect, simple, often bulbous at the base. Blades: 15-30 cm. long, 4-12 mm. wide, narrowed towards the base, acuminate, rough above, smooth or rough below, usually soft, flat leaves. Sheaths: Overlapping, glabrous or scabrous, grown together. Ligule: Membranous, lacerate, less than 1 mm. long. Inflorescence: Panicle pyramidal, open, 8-25 cm. long, the slender spreading branches solitary or in pairs, simple or sparingly branched, naked at the base, spikelets racemose, hanging by slender, pendulous pedicels, abruptly bent, enlarged and pubescent at the apex. Spikelets: 10-12 mm. long, usually 3-flowered; rather few, erect or nodding, at first terete, finally spreading. Glumes: Membranous or hyaline, unequal in length, broad at top, thin, the first at least 5-nerved, about 7 mm. long, second about 9 mm. long, 5-nerved, obtuse. Lemmas: 5-7-nerved, scabrous, lower about 9 mm. long with palea 7 mm., the upper about 7 mm. long with palea about 5 mm. long, obtuse; rachilla extended bearing 2 or 3 club-shaped convolute lemmas. Palea: Shorter than the lemma, 2-keeled, broader at the top, pubescent on the marginal nerves. Habitat: Rocky woods. May-June. Kansas Range: East third and Finney county. Use: Palatable, but not sufficiently abundant to be valuable.