Chase — Notes on Genera of Panicese. II. 



Genus SACCIOLEPIS Nash 1901, Britt. Man. 89. 



"A perennial grass with flat leaves and a terminal contracted panicle. 

 Spikelets numerous, readily deciduous when mature, 1-flowered, articu- 

 lated to the pedicel below the empty scales. Scales 4, the outer 3 membra- 

 nous, the first scale small, the second one much larger than the rest, 

 many-nerved, strongly saccate at the base; fourth scale much shorter 

 than the third, chartaceous, enclosing a palet of similar texture and a 

 perfect flower. * * * [Greek, in reference to the large saccate second scale 

 of the spikelet.]." 



The only species given under the genus is Sacciolepis gibba (Ell. ) Nash 

 (1. c. ), based on the following: 



Panicum gibbum Ell. 1817, Sk. Bot. S. C. and Ga. 1 : 116. No specimen 

 is cited. The type in the Elliott herbarium in the College of Charleston, 



consists of a single culm with three leaves 

 and an over-mature panicle. The label 

 in Elliott's writing reads: "Panicum gib- 

 bum milii. flor. Aug. Sept. Car. Georg. in 

 locis udis." 



Nees(1841, V\. Mr. Aust. 50) establishes 

 a division Curviflora ; Bentham (1878, Fl. 

 Austral. 7:480) a series Myuroidese. ; and 

 Stapf (1898, Flora Capensis 386) a sec- 

 tion Vilfoidess for species referable to this 

 genus. For the history of the disposition 

 of this group by various authors, see the 

 notes under Hymenachne. 



Description. — Spikelets short-pediceled 

 on short usually erect racemes forming 

 dense spike-like panicles (except in P. curvatum L. ), spikelets oblong- 

 conical; first glume small, second glume broad, inflated-saccate, strongly 

 many-nerved; sterile lemma narrower, flat, fewer-nerved, its palea nearly 

 as long, often subtending a staminate flower; fruit stipitate, elliptical, the 

 lemma and palea chartaceous-indurated, the margins of lemma inrolled. 

 the palea not enclosed at the summit. Grasses of wet ground; culms 

 usually branching, and rooting at the lower nodes. 



Sacciolepis striata ( L. ) Nash 1903, Bui. Torr. Bot. Club, 30:383. 



Holcu8 striatus L. 1753, Sp. PI. 1048. " Habitat in Virginia paludibus." 

 The type in the Linnean herbarium is " a Gronovius plant numbered 59, 

 upon which Linnaeus has written ' 7 striatus.' "* 



Panicum striatum Lam. 1791, Tab. Encyc. 1:172. "Carolina. Com. 

 I). Fraser." The type labeled " de la Caroline, fraser, panicum striatum 

 lam." is in the Paris herbarium. Though the same specific name is used 

 it appears that Lamarck did not know Holcus striatus L. 



Panicum gibbum Ell. 1817, Sk. Bot. S. C. and Ga. 1 : 116. (See above. ) 



Panicum Elliottianum Schult. 1824, Mant. 2:256. Based on the pre- 

 ceding, the name being changed because of P. ijibbosum Brown. 



• Kitfo Hitchcock, In note book. 



Fig. 2. 

 Sacciolepis gibba. 



