HITCHCOCK AND CHASE GRASSES OF THE WEST INDIES. 341 



Similar to H. amplexicauUs, olivaceous throughout (at least when dry), the 

 panicles of numerous ascending, densely flowered branches, the lower distant. 



River banks and shallow water, Cuba (Almendares River) and Trinidad 

 (Oropuche) to South America. Originally described from tropical America, 

 no definite locality given. The type of Hymenachne patula is Liebmann 402 

 from Bejucal, Cuba. 



41. SCUTACHNE Hitchc. & Chase. 



Inflorescence paniculate; spikelets acuminate, attenuate at base; first glume 

 membranaceous ; second glume and sterile lemma leathery-indurate, the lemma 

 inclosing a palea of like texture; fruit but slightly more indurate than the 

 sterile lemma, mucronate, the summit of the palea not inclosed, densely pubes- 

 cent on the margin. 



Culms leafy, the blades elongate ; panicles terminal only, of several branches. 



1. S. dura. 

 Culms nearly naked, the leaves reduced to the sheaths or nearly so, the basal 

 leaves with blades; panicles terminal and axillary, simple. 



2. S. amphistemon. 



1. Scutachne dura (Griseb.) Hitchc. & Chase, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 34: 



149. 1911. 



Panicum dtirum Griseb. Mem. Amer. Acad. n. ser. 8: 533. 1862. 



Alloteropsis dura Hitchc. Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 12: 211. 1909. 



A glabrous ascending perennial, 4 to 7 cm. tall, with wiry simple culms, 

 thick harsh blades, and panicles 6 to 10 cm. long, the long branches narrowly 

 ascending, the hairy brown spikelets about 5 mm. long. 



Rocky hills, Cuba (Farallones, Valestina), Jamaica (Albion Mountain), and 

 Santo Domingo (Salinas). Originally described from eastern Cuba, the type 

 being Wright 1539. 



2. Scutachne amphistemon (Wright) Hitchc. & Chase, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash- 



ington 24: 149. 1911. 



Panicum amphistemon Wright, Anal. Acad. Cienc. Habana 8: 207. 1871. 



Alloteropsis amphistemon Hitchc. Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 12: 211. 1909. 



Culms tufted, slender, wiry, 25 to 40 cm. tall, the leaves clustered at the 

 base, the flat blunt or rather abruptly pointed blades 10 to 15 cm. long, the 

 panicles few-flowered. 



Rocky slopes, Province of Oriente, Cuba, whence originally described, the 

 type being Wright 3464, from Mayarl Abajo ; found also in Loma Mensura 

 {Shafer 3807). 



42. ISACHNE R. Br. 



Inflorescence paniculate ; spikelets small, subglobose ; glumes subequal ; lower 

 floret perfect or stamiuate, its lemma and palea indurate and similar in form 

 and texture to those of the upper floret ; both fruits, plano-convex, nearly equal 

 in size, usually remaining attached by the minute rachilla joint between them. 



Fertile floret appressed-pubescent. 



Blades linear 1. I. leersioides. 



Blades ovate-clasping 8. I. polygonoides. 



Fertile floret glabrous. 



Panicle contracted, spikelike, not over 3 cm. Ions, the branches appressed 

 or the lower sometimes ascending; plants low and spreading. 



2. I. pygmaea. 



