HITCHCOCK AND CHASE—NORTH AMERICAN PANICUM. 241 
Spikelets 1.3 to 1.4 mm. long; culms very slender; 
autumnal form with branches mostly aggre- 
gated toward the summit................... 47a. P. columbianum 
thinium. 
142. Panicum malacon Nash. 
Panicum malacon Nash, Bull, Torrey Club 24: 197. 1897. ‘Collected by the 
writer in the ‘high pine land’ at Eustis, Lake County, Ilorida, May 1-15, 1894, no. 
628.’ The type, in Nash’s herbarium, is the early branching form, the numerous 
branches appressed, the blades densely puberulent on both surfaces. 
Panicum strictifolium Nash, Bull. Torrey Club 26: 579. 1899. ‘Collected by 
the writer in the high pine land at Eustis, Lake Co., Florida, May 3, 1894, no. 603. 
Most nearly related to ?. malacon, but distinguished by the less copious pubescence 
which is much finer and softer, and by the glabrous upper surface of the blades.” 
The type, in Nash’s herbarium, is the early branching form, the primary panicles 
destitute of spikelets and the secondary panicles immature. This is less densely 
pubescent than is Nash 628, but the pubescence is not softer. The type of P. malacon 
is more copiously pubescent than are most 
specimens of this species. The spikelets 
of the two types are identical except that 
those of Nash 603 are immature, while those 
of no. 628 are mature. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Vernal form erect or stiffly spreading, pur- 
plish olive green; culms 30 to 50 cm. high, 
pubescent with ascending hairs, the nodes 
short-pubescent; sheaths pubescent like 
the culms, sometimes sparsely so; blades 
stiffly ascending or somewhat spreading, 4 
to 12 em. long, 3 to 5 mm. wide, rarely 
wider, sharply acuminate, scarcely narrowed 
toward the base, puberulent beneath, puberulent or glabrous above, often villous at 
or near the margin or base with long hairs; panicles 4 to 7 em. long, three-fourths to 
nearly as wide, few-flowered, branches few, stiffly ascending, the spikelets on long, 
stilf pedicels; spikelets 3 to 3.2 mm. long, 1.4 to 1.5 mm. wide, obovate (oblong before 
maturity), pubescent; first glume distant, half as long as the spikelet or more, sub- 
acute, 5 to 7-nerved; second glume scarcely equaling the fruit and sterile lemma; 
fruit short-stipitate, 2.5 mm, long, 1.4 mm. wide, elliptic, acute. 
Autumnal form more or less decumbent-spreading, branching from the lower and 
middle nodes, the branches appressed 
and later rather sparingly producing 
appressed fascicled branchlets, the re- 
duced blades stiff, erect, and involute- 
pointed. 
Fig. 257.—P. malacon. From type specimen. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Dry pine woods, the so-called ‘‘high 
pine land,’’ Florida. 
Fiorwa: East Pass, Tracey 9140; 
Lake City, Combs 167; Old 
Town, Combs 855; Grasmere, 
Combs 1036, 1161; Gainesville, Fa. 258.—Distribution of P. malacon. 
Chase 4251; Eustis, Chase 4072, 
4077, [itchcock 801, 813, Nash 36, 63, 132, 603, 628; Clearwater, Tracy 6700; 
Dunedin, Tracy 6725; Lakeland, Ifitchcock 845. 
41616°—von 15—10——16 
