64 Rhodora [Marca 
A PANICUM UNREPORTED IN NEw ENGLAND.— While collecting this 
fall on Arlington Heights I noticed an unusual looking Panicum. 
Field observation led me to believe that though it resembled P. 
macrocarpon Torr. (P. Scribnerianum Nash) it was not that species, 
and more careful study of my specimens, at home, verified my belief. 
It proved to be P. oligosanthes Schultes, a species hitherto unrecorded 
from New England or north of New Jersey. 
P. oligosanthes Schultes closely resembles P. macrocarpon Torr., 
but is distinguishable from it, in the vernal state, by its more pubescent 
culms, rather taller growth and longer more hirsute spikelets which 
have a relatively longer, more acute first glume. The harsh puberu- 
lence of the lower surface of the blades is also in contrast with the 
glabrous or appressed pubescent (not the common form) lower sur- 
face of the blades of P. macrocarpon. In the autumnal state P. 
oligosanthes is usually more heavily branched than P. macrocarpon 
and is often top heavy in consequence, as were the specimens which 
first called my attention to the difference. Moreover the branches 
which also occur sparingly from the lower as well as middle and upper 
nodes are always shorter than the vernal culm which noticeably 
exceeds them, — whereas in the late state of P. macrocarpon the 
elongated autumnal branches exceed the relatively short vernal culm 
and panicle. Another rather striking difference is that the autumnal 
blades of P. oligosanthes are noticeably reduced in size, especially the 
later ones, and are widely spreading,— while the autumnal blades of 
P. macrocarpon are only slightly reduced in size and are strongly 
ascending. The panicles are even more included than in P. macro- 
carpon and are commonly reduced to a few spikelets. 
The most northern specimens of P. oligosanthes in the Gray Her- 
barium are from Norfolk, Va., but Hitchcock and Chase Contr. Nat. 
Herb. 15:285 (1910) report it from Atsion, New Jersey. My speci- 
mens are Nos. 497, rocky soil, Waverley, Mass., Oct. 13, 1912 and 498, 
same locality, Oct. 17, 1912. Specimens of the first number were sent 
to Washington, D. C., and verified by Mrs. Agnes Chase. 
This species seems to be relatively plentiful in some of the rocky 
fields and along the roadside of the Waverley portion of Arlington 
Heights and was noted by me in small plots in several different places 
along about a mile of road. I did not see any plants of P. macrocarpon. 
- — F. Tracy Hussarp, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 
Vol. 15, no. 170, including pages 21 to 44, was issued 4 March, 1913, 
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