nn 
194 
glabrous. Culms erect, or sometimes decumbent, slender, 2-4 
dm. tall, at length somewhat branched, the lower internodes. 
puberulent, the nodes sparingly barbed; sheaths generally longer 
than the internodes, ciliate on the margins, the lowermost pubes- 
cent; ligule a fringe of very short hairs; leaves elongated, in- — 
creasing in length toward the top of the culm, erect, linear, acum- 
inate at the apex, narrowed toward the ciliate base, scabrous on 
the margins, 7-9 nerved, the midnerve prominent at the base, the 
primary leaves 8-16 cm. long, 5-10 mm. wide, the uppermost one 
usually about equalling the panicle, the leaves on the branches 
shorter, the upper ones much exceeding the panicle; primary pani- 
cles ovate, 6-8 cm. in length, the main axis scabrous as are also 
the ascending slightly flexuous branches, the secondary panicle 
much smaller with usually appressed branches; spikelets obovate, 
obscurely pointed, 2.5-3 mm. long, the first scale broadly ovate 
or triangular, acutish, one-quarter as long as the spikelet, sparsely 
pubescent, I-nerved, the second and third scales membranous, 
equal in length, 9-nerved, pubescent with short spreading hairs, 
the latter enclosing a hyaline palet about one-half its length, the 
fourth scale chartaceous, yellowish, oval, obtusely apiculate, en- 
closing a palet of equal length and similar texture. 
The type specimens were collected by Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell, 
in whose honor I take pleasure in naming it, in Bronx Park, on 
July 21,1895. It wasalso obtained by Dr. Thomas C. Porter, on 
the slate hills near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on July 30, 1896. 
A most peculiar grass, resembling much in habit P. depaupera- 
ium, and evidently allied to it, but the leaves are much broader 
and of a different shape and the spikelets smaller and but ob- 
scurely pointed. 
Panicum BritrToni n. sp. 
Whole plant, with the exception of the spikelets, smooth and 
glabrous. Culms coarsely striate, densely caespitose, slender, 
erect, rigid, 1-2 dm. tall, simple or sparingly branched; sheaths 
closely embracing the culm, striate, less than one-half the length 
of the internodes ; ligule a ring of short hairs, about .5 mm. long; 
leaves longer than the sheaths, the basal ones broadly lanceolate, — 
more or less spreading, 1.5 cm. long or less, 3-4 mm. wide, those 
on the culm three in number, the middle one the longest, I-3 cm. 
long, 15-3 mm. wide, strictly erect, acuminate at the apex, 
generally somewhat narrowed toward the rounded base, primary 
nerves 5~7; panicle broadly ovate, 2-3 cm. long, the branches 
spreading or ascending, the lower ones 1-2 cm. long, the ultimate 
divisions sparingly scabrous, twice as long as the spikelets or — 
longer ; spikelets obovoid, or nearly oval, obtuse, about 1 3mm, 
long, the first scale about one-third as long as the spikelet, mem- 
