76 FLORA. 



z. Amphicarpon Amphicarpon (Pursh) Nash. (I. F. f. 238.) Culms 3-4.5 

 dm. tall, slender, glabrous. Sheaths papillose-hirsute; leaves 2.5-15 cm. long, 4-12 

 mm. wide, erect, hirsute and ciliate; panicle linear, 1-1.5 dm. long, branches erect; 

 spikelets about 4 mm. long, elliptic; outer scales 5 -nerved, glabrous; subterranean 

 spikelets ovoid in fruit, about 6 mm. long. In moist pine barrens, N. J. to Fla. 

 near the coast. Aug. -Sept. 



12. ERIOCHLOA. H. B. K. 



Annual or perennial grasses, with flat leaves and short-pedicelled spikelets 

 borne in secund spikes, which form a terminal panicle. Spikelets with an annular 

 callus at the base and articulated to the pedicel. Scales 3, the two outer mem- 

 branous, acute, the inner one shorter, indurated and subtending a palet and a per- 

 fect flower. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. Grain free. [Greek, 

 signifying wool-grass.] 



i. Eriochloa punctata (L.) W. Hamilt. DOTTED MILLET. (I. F. f. 239.) 

 Culms 3-9 dm. tall. Sheaths sometimes pubescent ; leaves 5-25 cm. long ; spikes 

 4-25, 2.5-5 cm - l n g< sess il e or nearly so; rachis pubescent; spikelets about 4 mm. 

 long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate; outer scales pubescent with appressed silky 

 hairs, the third about 2 mm. long, rounded at the apex and bearing a pubescent 

 awn about I mm. long. Neb. to Tex. and Mex. Widely distributed in trop. Am. 



13. SYNTHERISMA Walt. 



Annual grasses, with flat leaves and spikelets borne in pairs or sometimes in 3's, 

 in secund spikes which are digitate or approximate at the summit of the culm. 

 Spikes often purplish. Scales of the spikelet 4, sometimes 3 by the suppression of 

 the lowest one; the fourth or innermost scale chartaceous, subtending a palet of simi- 

 lar texture and a perfect flower. Stamens 3. Stigmas plumose. [Greek, crop- 

 making, in allusion to its abundance.] Species about 25, widely distributed in tem- 

 perate and tropical regions. 



Rachis of the racemes with the angles wingless; first scale of the spikelet wanting, or 



sometimes present as an inconspicuous rudiment. 

 Racemes usually short, 2-10 cm. long; spikelets less than 2 mm. long. 



i. S.filiformis. 

 < Racemes usually exceeding 10 cm. long, rarely shorter ; spikelets 2.25 mm. or more 



long. 2. S. villosa. 



Rachis of the racemes with the lateral angles broadly winged; first scale of the spikelet 



usually present, generally wanting in Nos. 3 and 4. 

 Pedicels terete or nearly so, sparingly if at all hispidulous. 



Sheaths and leaves strongly pubescent; second scale one-half or less as long as 



the spikelet. 3. S. serotina. 



Sheaths and leaves glabrous; second scale nearly as long as the spikelet. 



4. S. linearis. 

 Pedicels sharply 3-angled, the angles strongly hispidulous. 



Spikelets usually less than 3 mm. long; third scale with the first and second 

 nerves on each side hispid above the middle. 5. S. sanguinalis. 



Spikelets more than 3 mm. long; third scale with the nerves smooth. 



6. S.fimbriata. 



1. Syntherisma filiformis (L.)Nash. SLENDER FINGER-GRASS. (I. F. f. 242.) 

 Culms 1.5-7 dm. tall. Sheaths hirsute, at least the lower ones; leaves 3-20 cm. 

 long, 1-4 mm. wide; racemes 2-5, 2-10 cm. long, erect or ascending; spikelets 

 about 1.8 mm. long, 0.75 mm. wide, elliptic, acute, in pairs, the first scale want- 

 ing, the second 3 -nerved, the third 7-nerved, the fourth scale deep chestnut-brown 

 at maturity. Dry sandy soil, N. H. to Mich., south to Del., N. C. and the Ind. 

 Terr. July-Sept. 



2. Syntherisma villosa Walt. SOUTHERN SLENDER FINGER-GRASS. Culms 

 densely tufted, 6-14 dm. tall. Sheaths, at least the lower ones, hirsute; leaves 

 0.7-2.5 dm. long, 3-6 mm. wide; racemes 2-8, commonly more than 5, 4-20 cm. 

 long, generally 12-15 cm -? ere ct or ascending; spikelets 2.5 mm. long, about 0.8 

 mm. wide, elliptic, acute, usually in 3*5, the first scale wanting, the second scale 

 3-nerved, the third scale 7-nerved, the fourth scale deep chestnut-brown at matur- 

 ity. Sandy soil, principally along the coast, from Ga. and Fla. to Tex. ; also in 

 the Ind. Terr, and 111. June-Get. 



