574 Nash : The pichotqmous. Panjcums. 



of the sheaths, the few basal hairs of the blades, and particularly 

 in the strongly pubescent spikelets. From /-*. Eatoui it may be 

 distinguished by its much smaller spikelets with the first scale 

 glabrous and orbicular. 



Panicum longiligulatum 



L 



A tufted perennial, glabrous, with the exceptions noted below. 

 Culms 4—5 dm. tall, slender, finally branching, the branches fasci- - 

 culately much divided and forming dense masses at their ends ; 

 leaves 4 or 5 ; sheaths usually from one third to one half as long 

 as the internodes, minutely pubescent between the prominent 

 nerves ; ligule a ring of long erect silky hairs about 3 mm. in 

 length; blades ascending, lanceolate, obtusely and minutely pubes- 

 cent on the lower surface, the margins serrulate and very rough, 

 the primary culm blades 2.5-3 ^^^^^ 1^^'^gi ^bout 3 mm. wide, those 

 on the branches much smaller, the basal blades thick, broadly 

 lanceolate, 4-5 cm, long : panicle oval, 5-6 cm. long, considerably 

 exserted, its branches spreading, the larger ones about 3 cm. long; 

 spikelets about 1.3 mm. long and 0.8 mm. wide, oval, the outer 3 

 scales densely pubescent with spreading hairs, the first scale ovate, 

 I -nerved, about one third as long as the spikelet, the second and 

 third scales 7-nerved, about equal in length, the fourth scale yel- 

 lowish white, aboiit. 1.2 mm. long and 0.7 mm. wide. 



Collected by Dr. Geo. Vasey, at Apalachicola, Florida, in 

 1892. Its relationship is with P. parvispicidmn^ but its more 

 slender culms, smaller blades and spikelets and the glabrous mar- 

 gins of the sheaths at once distinguish it. 



T t - * 



Panicum patentifolium 



A tufted purplish perennial, glabrous,Vith the exceptions noted 

 below. Culms erect or nearly so, 2-4 dm. tall, puberulent, 

 slender, finally much branched : leaves 2-4, rather distant ; sheaths 

 less than one half as long as the internodes, minutely pubescent, 

 especially at the apex on the margins, rather loosely embracing 

 the culm ; ligule a dense ring of hairs about 0,25 mm. long ; blades 

 widely spreading, firm, lanceolate, 2.5-4 cm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, 

 puberulent at the very base on the upper surface, smooth on Loth 

 sides, rough on the margins, the basal ones similar in shape and 

 texture but larger : panicle at length considerably exserted, broadly 

 ovate, 4-6 cm. long, its axis and spreading branches puberulent, 

 the larger branches 2-3 cm. long: spikelets about 2.5 mm. long 

 and 1.3 mm. wide, tlie first scale orbicular, clasping, purple, at 

 least at tlic base, i -nerved, rounded at the apex, one half as long 



