HITCHCOCK AND CHASE—NORTH AMERICAN PANICUM. 187 
referred to P. mattamuskeetense Ashe. The species was described by Muhlenberg @ 
immediately after Panicum discolor Spreng., under the heading, ‘‘Co-species vel 
varietas major.”” The type, in the Muhlenberg Herbarium, is somewhat fragmentary, 
consisting of a single culm broken into three pieces, but is evidently the same as P. 
mattamuskeetense. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Vernal form in clumps of few to several culms, olivaceous, usually strongly tinged 
with deep purple; culms stout, erect or subgeniculate at base, the nodes bearded or 
the upper puberulent only; sheaths less than half the length of the internodes, pilose 
on the margin, a puberulent ring at the summit, the auricles pilose, the lower sheaths 
velvety-pilose, the upper glabrous; ligule dense, 0.7 mm, long; blades horizontally 
spreading, 8 to 12 cm. long, 8 to 12 mm. wide (basal blades much shorter), acuminate, 
narrowed toward the base, the lower velvety, the upper glabrous, on both surfaces; 
panicles long-exserted at maturity, 8 to 10 mm., rarely 12 mm. long, about. three- 
fourths as wide, many-flowered, the flexuous 
branches spreading, short spikelet-bearing branch- 
lets in the axils; spikelets 2.3 to2.5 mm. long (rarely 
2.7mm. long), 1.1 mm. wide, elliptic, pointed be- 
fore maturity, pubescent; first glume about one- 
third the length of the spikelet, subacute; second 
glume and sterile lemma subequal, barely cover- 
ing the fruit at maturity; fruit 2mm. long, 1 mm. 
wide, elliptic. 
Autumnal form erect or becoming somewhat 
decumbent, branching rather sparingly from the 
middle nodes after the maturity of the primary 
panicles, the branches rather appressed, the reduced crowded blades ascending. 
The spikelets at maturity are more turgid, shorter, and more obtuse than when 
immature, the swelling of the ripened fruit shortening the spikelet in length. In 
Chase 3744 the spikelets are 2.7 mm. long, while in Chase 3791 from the same place 
three weeks later the mature spikelets 
are but 2.4 mm. long, and in Chase 
3793, of the same date as the latter, 
they are but 2.1 mm. long; the fruits, 
however, are of the same size, 2 mm. 
long, the difference in length being 
due to a varying length of the second 
glume and sterile lemma. 
Fig. 185.—P. mattamuskeetense. From 
duplicate type specimen in National 
Herbarium. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Low moist ground, New York to Fig. 186,—Distribution of P. mattamuskeetense. 
North Carolina. 
New York: Hempstead, Bicknell in 1903; Woodmere, Bicknell in 1902; Hewletts, 
Bicknell in 1905; Far Rockaway, Bicknell in 1902. 
New Jersey: Anglesea, Brown in 1897 (Phila. Acad. Herb.). 
MARYLAND: Beltsville, Chase 3744, 37443, 3791, 3793, 3826, 3829; Vienna, Novik 
182. 
Norrn Carouna: Lake Mattamuskeet, Ashe in 1898; Wilsons Mills, Chase 3099; 
Wilmington, Hitchcock 354, 1455; Roanoke Island, Chase 3232. 
a Descr. Gram. 115. 1817. 
