594 Merrill : A Criticism on certain 



material was totally different from the published descriptions of the 

 species to which they were referred. In most cases absolutely 

 nothing can be determined from his descriptions which are mostly 

 short and incomplete, especially those of his first paper. 



Panic um commelinaefolium Ashe, 1898, not Kunth, 1833, or 

 Rudge, [805, »» Panicum Currani Ashe, 1899. * 



Panicum macidatum Ashe, 1898, not Aubl., 1775, or Reichb., 

 183 1, = Panicum Yadkin e use Ashe, 1900. 



Panicitm Georgianium Ashe, 1898 {Panicum Cahoonianurn 

 Ashe, 1899). Panicum Georgianum is not invalidated by P. Geor- 

 gictun Spreng., 1825. 



Panicum annulum Ashe, 1898 {Panicum Bogueanum Ashe, 

 1900). Panicum annulum Ashe, is not invalidated by P. annulatuni 

 A. Rich., 1847. 



Panicum glabrissimum Ashe, 1898 {Panicum Shalotte Ashe, 

 1900). Panicum glabrissimum Ashe is not invalidated by P 

 glaberrimum Steud., 1855. 



While it is unfortunate that the author should apply names in 

 the case of the last three species, so similar to older published 

 ones, we cannot understand on what authority the author proposes 

 new names for the species in question, as there is no reason why 

 the first names should not be retained. Panicum annidum Ashe, 

 and Panicum glabrissimum Ashe, must stand as a monument to 

 their author's carelessness, while his new names for these two 

 species must be considered only as synonyms. It is very evident 

 that there is little danger of these new names and some others in 



Huachucac 



this paper like Panicum Malta muskc tense and P. 



homonyms. We have been unable to find any authority for the 



construction of the word glabrissimum. 



Of these species Panicum Georgianum Ashe {P. Cahoonianurn) 

 is only the branched state of P. consangidneum Kunth, and accord- 

 ing to Dr. Small's material in the Herbarium of Columbia Univer- 

 sity the author is in error in stating that it is a low growing grass 

 as in the type collection the old culms are still attached and match 

 P. consangidneum exactly. Panicum Yadkincnse Ashe was de- 

 scribed as a new species under the name of P. macidatum Ashe, 

 and is identical with Panicum dicJiotomum datum Vasey, which is 

 treated in the same paper as a distinct form, the author not recog- 



