HITCHCOCK AND CHASE—-NORTH AMERICAN PANICUM. 315 
in Torrey’s writing: ‘*‘ Panicum macrocarpon Elliott’ LeConte.’’? Torrey’s note on 
this specimen would seem to have been written before the publication of the species 
as above, as he seems to think LeConte credits the name to Elliott. Nodata are given 
on the label or sheet. No other specimen could be found in the herbarium that could 
be connected with LeConte’s name. If LeConte had a herbarium and if it be in exist- 
ence, its whereabouts is unknown. The above specimen, which is taken as the type 
of P. macrocarpon, is a single plant with simple culm and immature unexpanded 
panicle. 
Panicum schnecki Ashe, N. C. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 175: 116. 1900. ‘‘River bot- 
toms, southern Indiana and Illinois, June.’’ The type, in Ashe’s herbarium, consists 
of two culms, one sterile and one with an immature, scarcely-exserted panicle. On 
the accompanying label with the printed heading ‘‘Herbarium of W. W. Ashe” is 
written in Ashe’s hand “ Panicum Schnecki W. W. Ashe,’’ but no data whatever are 
given. 
This is the species described by Torrey as P. nervosum Muhl. Panicum macro- 
carpon LeConte, though published in his Catalogue seems to have been unknown to 
Torrey. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Vernal plants in clumps of few to several culms from a knotted crown; culms rather 
stout, 45 cm. to 1 meter high, erect, glabrous, or the lower internodes sometimes 
sparsely pubescent, the nodes glabrous, rarely with a few hairs; sheaths shorter than 
the internodes, ciliate on the margin, a pubescent ring at the juncture with the blade, 
otherwise glabrous, or the lower sparsely downy; ligules nearly obsolete; blades rather 
thin, ascending or spreading 8 to 18 
cm. long, 1.5 to 4 cm. wide, the lower 
smaller, acuminate, cordate-clasping at 
the base, glabrous, rarely sparsely 
pubescent on one or both surfaces, short- 
ciliate at least toward the base; panicles 
usually short-exserted or sometimes 
finally long-exserted, 7 to 15 cm. long, 
about two-thirds as wide, the long, few- 
flowered, nearly simple branches stiffly 
ascending; spikelets rather short-pedi- 
celed, commonly more or less clustered 
in twos or threes, 3.4 to 3.7 mm. long, 
1.8 to 2 mm. wide, oval-obovate, turgid, 
sparsely pubescent; first glume one- 
third to half the length of the spikelet, pointed; second glume and sterile lemma 
scarcely covering the fruit at maturity; fruit 3 mm. long, 1.6 to 1.8 mm. wide, elliptic, 
minutely pubescent on the obscurely apiculate apex. 
Autumnal form more or less spreading, branching from the middle nodes, the upper 
leaves of the branches crowded and spreading, not much reduced, the small panicles 
partly included. 
In this species the culms, nodes, and leaves are typically glabrous, but occasional 
specimens show more or less pubescence. The following represent this variation: 
Dorner 89, Shear in 1899, Ward in 1880, Wetherby 53. 
@Fl, North. & Mid. U.S. 143. 1823. 
bSee P. macrocarpon Torr. under P. scribnerianum, page 283. 
Fic. 355.—P. latifolium. From type specimen of 
P. macrocarpon LeConte. 
