HITCHCOCK AND CHASE—-NORTH AMERICAN PANICUM. 2883 
171. Panicum scribnerianum Nash. 
Panicum macrocarpon Torr. Fl. North. & Mid. U.S. 143. 1823, not LeConte 1819. 
“Has. On the banks of the Connecticut River, near Deerfield, Massachusetts. Sent 
to me by Dr. Cooley.”” The type, in herbarium of Columbia University, is a single 
culm with terminal panicle. It is labeled in Torrey’s hand ‘‘ Panicum macrocarpon*,”’ 
followed by a brief diagnosis, and ‘Near Deerfield, Mass. Dr. Cooley.’’ On the same 
sheet was mounted the specimen of P. latifolium, which is taken as the type of P. 
macrocarpon LeConte.¢ Torrey makes no mention of P. macrocarpon LeConte, 
published a few years earlier in his Catalogue of the Plants of New York. , 
Panicum scribnerianum Nash, Bull. Torrey Club 22: 421, 1895. This is proposed 
as a new name without description, the following citations being given: ‘“‘ Panicum 
scoparium 8. Wats. in A. Gray, Man. Ed. 6, 632.1890. Not Lam. Panicum scoparium 
var. minor Scribn. Bull. Univ. Tenn. 7: 48. 1894. Not P. capillare var. minor Muhl. 
1817.’’ The author does not state upon which of these two the new name is based, 
but since it ‘‘is proposed in honor of Prof. F’. L. Scribner, who was the first to indicate 
its difference from P. scoparium Lam.,”’ it seems evident that the intention is to 
raise Scribner’s variety to specific rank, changing the name because of P. capillare 
var. minor Muhl. But examination of Scribner’s type © shows that it is not the 
species described as J’. scoparium in Gray’s Manual and as P. scribnerianum by Nash 
in the Illustrated Flora,¢ Britton’s Manual,? and Small’s Flora.e Owing to the 
confusion and uncertainty arising from Scribner’s citing a specimen which disagrees 
in part with his description, it seems best to take the first citation given by Nash as 
the basis of P. scribnerianum, excluding the reference to P. scopariwm var. minor. 
Panicum scoparium 8. Wats.; Nash, Bull. Torrey Club 22: 421. 1895. As synonym 
under P. seribnerianum Nash. The name is cited by Nash as “S. Wats. in A. Gray 
Man. Ed. 6, 632. 1890. Not Lam.,’’ but Watson did not publish this name, since 
misapplication of a name does not constitute publication. The description of “P. 
scoparium Lam.’’ [misapplied] in Gray’s Manual, ed. 6, is identical with that of 
“P. pauciflorum Ell.?” of previous editions back to the first. In the first edition / 
the range is given as ‘‘ N. Pennsylvania (Carey) and W. New York to Michigan.’” The 
Carey specimen, in the Gray Herbarium, is a single branching plant with hispid 
sheaths, a primary panicle, destitute of spikelets, and two secondary panicles with 
scarcely mature spikelets. The accompanying label reads: ‘Panicum n. sp.? pauci- 
florum Ell.? Wysox. Penna. J. Carey, July 1836.’’ This specimen we take as the 
type of P. scribnerianum. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Vernal form in clumps of few to many culms, 20 to 50 cm. high, erect or ascending, 
often geniculate at base, glabrous or harshly puberulent or sometimes ascending 
papillose-pilose; sheaths rather loose, conspicuously striate, ciliate on the margin, 
ascending-pubescent between the nerves and papillose-hispid with spreading or 
ascending hairs to nearly glabrous, the papillze often without hairs; ligules about 1 
mm. long; blades ascending or erect, 5 to 10 cm. long, 6 to 12 mm. wide, usually 
firm, acuminate, rounded and ciliate at base, glabrous on the upper surface, appressed- 
pubescent to glabrous beneath; panicles short-exserted, 4 to 8 cm. long, rarely longer, 
two-thirds to three-fourths as wide, the flexuous branches ascending; spikelets 3.2 
to 3.3 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, obovate, turgid, blunt, sparsely pubescent to nearly 
aSee note under P. latifolium L., page 314. 
b See notes on P. scoparium minus Scribn. under P. malacophyllum Nash, page 280. 
c Britt. & Brown, lust. Fl. 1: 118. 1896. 
d Man. 87. 1901. 
¢Fl. Southeast U. 8. 103. 1903. 
ji A. Gray, Man. 613. 1848. 
