"The orientation of this study began with a collection of the grasses of Erath County during their flowering periods. Collections were made in the Spring and Fall of 1950 and 1951 to obtain both vernal and autumnal grasses. Identifications were made from the grass floras previously mentioned and checked against specimens in the herbarium of North Texas State College for verification. In addition, the list was checked by W.A. Turney, Conservationist, United States Department of Agriculture of Dublin, Texas. Finally, the list was compared with that prepared by W.M. Cory for the plant areas of which Erath County is a part. On the basis of the above identifications, a critical study of the vegetative characteristics was made and a key based on these features prepared. The width of the blad and characteristics of the ligule, roots, culms, and sheaths were used to distinguish each of the eighty-six specimens found in the collection area. A drawing was made of the longitudinal section of the juncture of the blade and the sheath of each grass. This diagnostic section includes the collar, ligule, a part of the blade and sheath, and auricles, if present."-- leaf 5.