188 Chase — Notes on Genera of Paniceee. III. 



tinuis. Peduncuh seminei fasciculati, uniflori, vaginati; fructiferi sub- 

 terranei." 



Bat one species is given: 



"Amphicarpum Purshii. (Milium amphicarpum Pursh. * * * )" 

 Although Kunth bestows upon this genus the same name as did Itafin- 

 esque, it does not appear that he knew of the hitter's proposed genus. 

 Like Pursh in the original description of this species, Kunth errs in 

 saying that the subterranean spikelets are pistillate only, and in this is 

 followed by Steudel (1854, Syn. PI. Glum. 1 : 35) and Bentham A; Hooker, 

 ( L883, Gen. PI. 3 : 1090). Trinius ( 1821, in Sprengel Xeu. Enjbd., 2 : 50) 

 points out Pursh's error, stating that the paniculate spikelets are perfect, 

 describing their styles and stigmas; and while apparently not finding 

 stamens in the subterranean spikelets he argues that these must be per- 

 fect since' they mature their grains before the paniculate spikelets are in 

 anthesis. This latter point does not hold good, however, for specimens 

 are common wherein the two forms of spikelets are strictly contemporary. 

 Gray (1848, Man. 609) gives the first completely accurate description of 

 the genus, " Stamens 3 (small in the radical flowers)." 



Description : — Spikelets of two kinds on the same plant, one in a ter- 

 minal panicle, perfect but not fruitful, the other cleistogamous on slender 

 leafless branches at the base of the culm and subterranean, sometimes also 

 from the lowest nodes; first glume of the aerial spikelets vari- 

 able in size or obsolete, second and sterile lemma subequal; 

 lemma and palea indurated, margins of lemma, thin, Hat; 

 fruiting spikelets much larger, tirst glume wanting, second 

 glume and sterile lemma strongly nerved, subrigid, exceeded 

 at maturity by the turgid, elliptic acuminate fruit with much 

 Pig. ■">■ indurated lemma and palea, the margins of the lemma thin, 

 ampiHrarP!. Hat "> stamens with small anthers on short filaments. Two 

 species of the Atlantic coast plain of the United States. 

 Amphicarpon amphicarpon (Pursh) Nash 1N«>4 , Mem. Torr. CI. 5:352; 

 based on Milium amph icarpon I'ursh. 

 Besides the synonomy given above: 



? Milium ciliatum Muhl. L817. Gram. 77. "Habitat in Nova Caesa- 

 rea." Kunth gives this as synonym under A. Purshii, and is followed by 

 later authors, but no one states that he has seen the type. 



Amphicarpon fix)ridanum Chapm. 1860, Fl. So. U.S. 572. "Banksof 

 Apalachicola River, Florida." 



