HITCHCOCK AND CHASE—NORTH AMERICAN PANICUM. 275 
DESCRIPTION. 
Vernal form densely cespitose, grayish olive green; culms geniculate-decumbent, 
ascending at the ends, as much as 50 cm. long, the internodes and sheaths densely vel- 
vety puberulent, the latter usually ciliate on the margin, at least toward the summit; 
blades rather lax, spreading, 4 to 8 cm. long, 4 to 8 mm. wide, tapering toward both 
ends, velvety-puberulent beneath, softly pubescent on the upper surface, sometimes 
obscurely so, ciliate at least half their length; 
panicles as in P. lancearium, the spikelets more 
globular-pyriform than in that species, 1.3 mm. 
wide and nearly as thick, second glume and sterile 
lemma densely papillose-pubescent; fruit 1.8 
mm. long, 1.1 to 1.2 mm. wide; otherwise as in 
P. lancearium. 
Autumnal form more freely branching than in 
P. lancearium, often forming large mats, the de- 
cumbent culms producing ascending branches 
from all the nodes at about the maturity of the primary panicles, these repeatedly 
branching, the ultimate branchlets crowded, but about evenly so throughout, not in 
fascicles at the summit only, the spreading blades much reduced; winter rosettes 
appearing early, the blades often 7 or 8 cm. long, glabrous or nearly so on the upper 
surface. 
This species is usually readily distinguished from 2. lancearium by the decumbent 
habit and lax blades pubescent on both surfaces, but the blades are sometimes only 
obscurely pubescent above. 
Fig. 307.—P. patulum. From type 
specimen. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Low moist woods of the Coastal Plain, southeastern Virginia to Florida and 
Louisiana. 
Virainia: Cape Henry, Chase 5434; Dismal Swamp, Chase 3674. 
Nort Caro.ina: Wilmington, Chase 3110, 4577. 
SoutH CAROLINA: Isle of Palms, Chase 4538, Hitchcock 413. 
GeorGia: Thomasville, Small in 
1895 (Biltmore Herb.). 
Fioripa: Jacksonville, Combs 3, 
Kearney 140; Lake City, Chase 
4282, Combs 132 in part; Mil- 
ton, Chase 4312; Old Town, 
Combs 858, 859; Gainesville, 
Chase 4209; Grasmere, Combs 
1169; Titusville, Chase 4026, 
IMtchcock 765; Eustis, Chase 
4050, 4062, 4086; Nash 50, 151, 
1117; Clearwater, Tracy 6701; 
Tampa, Mitchcock 946; Miami, 
Hitchcock 654, Tracy 8853; Levy County, Combs 783, 835; Palma Sola, Tracy 
6729; Sneeds Island, Tracy 6703; Myers, Chase 4183, Iitchcock 922; Seminole, 
Tracy 7198. 
ALABAMA: Mobile, Hitchcock in 1904 (Hitchcock Herb.). 
Mississippi: Biloxi, Chase 4357, 4371, Kearney 331, Tracy 4586, 4587; Horn 
Island, Tracy 3976. 
Louisiana: New Orleans, Drummond 452, 
Fig. 308.—Distribution of P. patulum. 
