202 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
long-ciliate at the rounded base, otherwise glabrous; panicles 8 to 12 cm. long, one- 
fourth to one-third as wide, rather densely flowered, the branches ascending or 
appressed, short spikelet-bearing branchlets in the axils; spikelets 1.4 to 1.6 mm. 
(usually 1.5 mm.) long, 0.7 to 0.9 mm. wide, elliptic, obscurely pointed; first glume 
one-fourth to one-third the length of the spikelet, obtuse or subacute; second glume 
and sterile lemma equaling the fruit at maturity, pubescent or rarely glabrous; fruit 
1.3 mm. long, 0.7 to 0.8 mm, wide, elliptic, slightly pointed. 
Autumnal form more or less reclining, branching after the maturity of the primary 
panicle, the earlier branches elongated, ascending but not appressed, bearing exserted 
panicles, the subsequent branchlets in short fascicles, 
the blades much reduced, sometimes minutely pubes- 
cent, overtopping the small ultimate panicles; winter 
rosette appearing rather early, the blades glabrous or 
nearly so, 
Specimens with spikelets 1.4 mm., or even 1.3 mm. 
long, occur. The type of P. paucipilum Nash is such 
Fig. 205.—P. spretum, From a specimen, as are Chase 2333 and Hitchcock 553. In the 
ype Speetnen in Muhlenberg herbarium of the Philadelphia Academy are a number 
_ ; of such specimens, some with spikelets only 1.3 mm, 
long. But since no other character can be correlated with the smaller spikelets, 
and since specimens with spikelets 1.5 mm. long are much more numerous, we are 
unable to separate specifically the extremes of this species. 
It does not seem advisable to recognize as a subspecies the form with glabrous 
spikelets. Besides the Texas plants, in which the spikelets are glabrous, similar 
specimens have been collected in Delaware, namely, Canby 4, Commons 340, and 
Hitchcock 553. The Commons specimen consists of two plants, one with glabrous 
and one with pubescent spikelets, but otherwise alike. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Wet and usually sandy soil, mostly near the coast, Maine to Texas; also in northern 
Indiana. 
Marine: York County, Fernald 510. 
New Hamesuire: East Kingston, Haton in 1898 (Biltmore Herb.). 
Massacuusetts: Essex County, Conant in 1881; Dedham, Bartlett 807. 
Connecticut: Waterford, Graves 
80, 87; East Lyme, Graves 157. 
Ruopve isnanp: Kingston, Piper 
in 1907, 
New York: Riverhead, Bicknell 
in 1905, Peck 4. 
New Jersty: Atsion, Chase 3551, 
3569; Bear Swamp, Stone 2; 
Wildwood, Bicknell in 1897. 
PENNSYLVANIA: Westchester, Win- 
dle 2 (Witcheock Herb.). 
InpriANA: Dune Park, Hild 128 in 
1906, Umbach 1799; Miller, 
Pepoon in 1898; Michigan City, f/2ll 162 in 1906. 
DetawareE: Cape Henlopen, Commons 340; Townsend, Canby in 1891; Milton, 
Commons 348; Lewes, Hitchcock 553. 
MaryLanp: College Park, Novik in 1907. 
Vireinia: Cape Henry, Chase 2333, 5421; Lynn Haven, [itchcock 378, 379. 
Norta Carona: Wilsons Mills, Chase 3093. | 
Fia. 206.—Distribution of P. spretum. 
