548 GRAMINE.E. 



volute ; panicle narrow : branches few, distant, suberect, inferior cotnpov.nd, racemiform : 

 spikelets minute, glabrous, irregularly one-sided, erect ; lowest glume one-third to half as 

 long as the spikelet, 3-nerved, 2 superior 5-7-nerved, equalling the fertile flower, or the 

 second a little shorter ; fertile flower ellipsoidal, pointed, smooth, half-terete. — P. hians, 

 PI. Spruce (non Ell.).— l'-lf high; panicle l"-2", spikelets i'" long, the latter greenish, 

 pointed. — Hab. Jamaica !, Pd., in savannahs, Manchester ; Trinidad !, Pd., in sandy swamps ; 

 [Cuba!; Brazil!]. 



100. P. diffusum, Sw. Annual, erect: nodes villous ; leaves linear-acuminate, glabrous ; 

 panicle lax, spreading : branches scattered, inferior sparingly compound, racemiform : pe- 

 dicels often longer than the spikelet : spikelets glabrous, irregularly one-sided,, erect ; lowest 

 glume half as long as the spikelet, b-nerved, second 9—1%-nerved, a little shorter than the 

 7-9-nerved third one, both exceeding the ellipsoidal, pointed, half-terete, smooth fertile 



flower. — Trin. Ic . t. 263. — P. hirsutum, V.l {non Sic). — 1'-2' high, anomalous in § 1 by 

 its often filiform pedicels, which in smaller specimens however are short ; leaves rigid : 

 sheath glabrous or pilose ; panicle 3"-6", spikelets 1'" long, the latter pale-green. — Hab. 

 Antigua!, Wullschl. ; [Cuba !, S. Croix !]. 



101. P. laxum, Sw. ! Stem compressed, ascending from a creeping base: nodes gla- 

 brous ; leaves linear-acuminate, glabrous ; panicle spreading : inferior branches com- 

 pound, racemiform ■. spikelets minute, glabrous, irregularly one-sided, erect; lowest glume 

 one-third to half as long as the spikelet, 1-S-nerved, 2 superior equalling the fertile flower, 

 second 5-, third 3-nerved ; fertile flower elliptical-oblong, pointed, smooth, half-terete. — 

 Kth. Rev. t. 110. Trin. Ic. t. 215. — P. tenuiculmum, Meg. P. diandrum, Kth. : stamens 

 2-3. P. ramuliflorum, Hochst. ! — 2'-3' high ; panicle greenish or tinged with purple, 

 4"-l 5" long ; spikelets J /w long, acute, or with a bluntish point. — Hab. Jamaica !, Sw., 

 March, on wet pastures; Antigua!, Wullschl., Dominica!, Imr. ; [Cuba ! to Brazil !]. 



102. P. potamium, Trin. Stem angular below, ascending from a creeping base : nodes 

 villous ; leaves linear-acuminate, rounded at the base, glabrous; panicle spreading, deltoid: 

 branches compound, with spreading, racemiform branchlets : axis bearing a few bristles : 

 spikelets glabrous, strictly one-sided, spreading or superior deflexed ; lowest glume one-half 

 to one-third as long as the spikelet, 3-nerved, 2 superior little exceeding the fertile flower, 

 second 3-5-, third 3-nerved ; fertile flower elliptical-lanceolate, pointed, smooth, half- 

 terete. — P. hydrophilum, Tr. {non Schult.) P. polygonatum, Sieb. Trin. {non Schrad.). 

 P. tenuiculmum, Ns. in PI. Seem. ! {non Meg.). — 1'-2' high ; panicle pale-green, 3"-4 

 diam. : inferior secondary branches 1", spikelets f" long, — Hab. Trinidad!, Sieb., Sch. ; 

 [Mexico ! to Brazil !]. 



103. P. distichum, Lam. Stoloniferous, erect or ascending, glabrous or pilose at the 

 nodes and sheaths ; leaves lanceolate- or linear-acuminate, rounded at the base ; panicle 

 spreading, tapering at the summit : branches simple, numerous, uppermost shorter, approxi- 

 mate ; spikelets ovate, glabrous, deflexed; lowest glume half as long as the spikelets, 3-5- 

 nerved, 2 superior equal, 5 -nerved, as long as the ovate, pointed, smooth, half-terete fertile 



flower. — Trin. Ic. t. 213.— -l'-5' high ; panicle 4"-12", its inferior subdistant branches 

 1"-1£", green spikelets 4'" long. 



a. Nodes glabrous ; leaves 8'"-4"' broad ; spikelets exceeded by the scattered hairs of the 

 axis. 



0. pilosum, Sw. Nodes pilose-bearded ; leaves 4"'-5'" broad ; panicle shorter : branches 

 more distant : axis pilose with scattered hairs. 



y. lancifolium. Stout; nodes densely villous; leaves 8"'-10'" broad; panicle long: 

 axis of its branches glabrous. 



Hab. Jamaica!, Al., Wils., common in pastures (£) ; Dominica !, Imr. (o), S. Vincent !, 

 Guild. ; Trinidad !, Sch., Or. (o, 7) ; [Mexico to Brazil ! ; Pacific islands]. 



104. P. frondescens, Meg. Ascending from a creeping base, glabrescent ; leaves 

 striate, obliquely oblong-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate : sheath ciliate ; panicle 

 spreading, tapering above : branches simple, much longer than their internodes, superior 

 gradually shorter, densely approximate : spikelets ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, deflexed-spread- 

 ing ; lowest glume one-third to one-fonrth as long as the spikelet, 3-nerved, second ex- 

 ceeded bg the third, 5-7-nerved, third twice as long as the oblong-lanceolate, pointed, 

 smooth, half-terete fertile flower. — Kth. R4c. I. 108.— P. stolonifcrum, var. majus, Tr.— 



