83 
what oblong in outline, 4 to 6 inches long, open and becoming spreading, branches 
verticillate; spikelets 14 lines long, slightly pubescent or smooth, oblong-ovate to 
obovate; the lower glume acutish, nearly one-half as long as the spikelet, second and 
third equal, many nerved; perfect flower oblong, pointed.—New England to Virginia, 
North Carolina, and westward to Illinois. 
46. P. latifolium Linn. (Gray’s Manual, 6th ed., p. 632.) Culms 1 to 2} feet high, 
smooth, mostly simple, the nodes (generally) and the collar of the sheath soft wooly- 
hairy; sheaths smooth or more or less pubescent; leaves broadly lanceolate from a 
cordate, clasping base, 3 to 4 inches long, } to 14 inches wide, tapering to a 
point, roughish above, smooth, or sparsely hairy below, 1l- to 13-nerved; panicle 
more or less exserted, becoming long-peduncled, 2 to 4 inches long, the branches 
mostly alternate, spreading, rather few flowered ; spikelets 14 to 2 lines long, obovate, 
sparsely pubescent; the lower glume one-third, or less than one-half as long as the 
spikelet, upper one about 9-nerved.—Maine to Texas, 
Var. MOLLE, Downy all over.—Virginia to Louisiana. 
Var. AUSTRALIS. Leaves more contracted at base, and spikelets larger (2 to 24 
lines),—Alabama to Texas. 
47..P. scabriusculum Ell.? Chapm. (Chapm. FI. 8. States, p. 576). (P. Nealleyi 
Vasey.) Culms 3 to4 feet high, firm, smooth, rarely branched; leaves linear-lanceolate, 
4 to 8 inches long, one-half inch wide, long-pointed, firm, mostly smooth except near 
the base ; sheaths shorter than the joints, mostly smooth, or sometimes sparsely pubes- 
cent; panicle larger, 5 to 8 inches long, diffuse, smooth, branches mostly alternate, 
much divided, the larger ones 3 inches long; spikelets ovate, acutish, sparingly 
pubescent when young, becoming smooth; lower glume small; second glume strongly 
7- to 9-nerved.—North Carolina to Texas, 
This is the P. scabriusculum described by Chapman, but does not appear to me to 
answer that of Elliott, who compares his with P. virgatum. 
48. P.capillare Linn. (Gray’s Manual, 6th ed., p.630). Culms 10 to 20 inches high, 
mostly branched at the base. rather robust, erect or ascending; sheaths and usually the 
leaves copiously hairy or hirsute; panicles, lateral and terminal, half to two-thirds the 
length of the plant, vaginate below, much branched, the branches divaricate when old; 
spikelets ovoid to oblong or lanceolate, obtusish, acute or even acuminate, $ to nearly 2 
lines long, smooth, on long capillary pedicels; lower glume one-half to two-thirds as 
long as the spikelet, obtuse to acuminate, fertile flower obtusish, rather shorter than 
the spikelet.—All over the continent. 
Var, CAMPESTRE Gattinger. Culms slender, 14 to 2 feet high, much branched, 
leaves and sheaths sparsely hirsute, panicle, rather pyramidal, much shorter than in 
the type, 4 to 6 inches long, more open and thinly flowered, spikelets three-fourths of 
a line long, smooth, oblong, rather acute, lower glume obtusish.—Tennessee (Dr. 
Gattinger). 
Var. FLEXILE Gattinger. Culms slender, 14 to 24 feet high, branched below, 
leaves linear, 6 to 10 inches long, narrow, erect, smooth or smoothish, sparsely ciliate 
on the margins and sheaths, panicle longer and narrower than in the preceding, 5 to 
9 inches long, 2 to 4 inches wide, branches slightly spreading, single or in twos, 
smooth; spikelets 14 lines long, lanccolate-acuminate, lower glume acute, perfect 
flower one-third shorter than the spikelet.—Tennessee (Dr. Gattinger). 
49, P. capillarioides Vasey. Contr. U. 8. Herb. 1, p. 54. In habit and appear- 
ance much like P. capillare, but generally less’ hirsute, and with a smaller panicle. 
The branches of the panicle are more rigid. The spikelets are twice as large and 
more clustered at the end of the branches. They are 2 lines or more long; long- 
conical and acuminate.—Texas (Mr. G. C. Nealley, Miss Mary B. Croft). 
50. P. autumnale Buse. (Gray’s Manual, 6th ed., p. 630.) (P. divergens Muhl.) 
Culms 12 to 18 inches high, erect or decumbent below; leaves comparatively small, 2 
or 3inches long, 2 to 3 lines wide, smooth except on the scabrous or undulate margins ; 
sheaths smooth or the lower ones, sparsely hairy, ligule membranaceous, obtuse, 
12974—No. 13 [Feb. 25, 1892.] 
