HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



41b. Spikelets glabrous, covered with minute warts. Fig. 325. 



Panicum verrucosum Muhl. 



Annual; plants sprawling, the culms 

 branching and rooting from the lower nodes, 

 up to 150 cm. long. The entire herbage is 

 glabrous except for the margins of the sheaths; 

 leaf blades thin, bright green, 5 — 20 cm. 

 long, 4 — 10 mm. wide; ligules very short, 

 hairy; panicles up to 30 cm. long, very open, 

 the small (about 2 mm. long) spikelets borne 

 in groups of 1 — 3 near the ends of the 

 branches. Banks of streams; moist sandy 

 or peaty soil. July — September. 



Panicum brachyanthum Steud. has nar- 

 rower leaf blades, 2 — 3 mm. wide; pointed 

 spikelets 3.2 — 3.6 mm. long, covered with 

 wart-based hairs. August — September. Arkan- 

 sas and Oklahoma to Louisiana and Texas. 



Figure 325 



Figure 326 



42a. Fertile lemma minutely cross-wrinkled. Fig. 326. 

 43 



42b. Fertile lemma smooth and shining 44 



43a. Spikelets 5 — 6 mm. long, hairy. Fig. 327. 

 TEXAS MILLET; COLORADO GRASS 



Panicum texanum Buckl. 



Annual; culms hairy, erect or decumbent and 

 rooting at the lower nodes, usually 50 — 150 cm. 

 long; leaves 7 — 16 mm. wide, 10 — 20 cm. long, 

 softly velvety; leaf sheaths velvety; Hgule hairy, 

 about 1 mm. long; panicles narrowly cylindri- 

 cal, 7 — 25 cm. long, up to 3 cm. in diameter; 

 rachis and branches hairy. The lush, vigorous 

 plants make good forage. They occur along 

 streams and in com and cotton fields. The com- 

 mon name, Colorado Grass, apparently refers 

 to the Colorado River of Texas, since this species 

 does not occur in the state of Colorado. June — 

 September. 



Panicum arizonicum Scribn. and Merr, has 

 similar spikelets, 3.5 — 3.8 mm. long; blades 6 — 

 12 mm. wide; panicle more open, with hairy 

 branches. Western Texas to CaHfomia and Mexico. August — Sep- 

 tember. 



Figure 327 



170 



