p 



I 



This species is related to Edtonia obtusata (Michx.) A. Gray, but is readily dis- 

 tinguished by its densely pubescent culms, sheaths, and ligule. 



EATONIA ARISTATA Scribn. & Merrill sp. nov. 



An erect nearly glabrous, perennial, with very long, narrow leaves, elongated, 

 contracted panicles, and rather small spikelets, the second flowering glume 

 bearing a short awn. Culms and nodes smooth ; sheaths shorter than the 

 internodes, striate, often sparingly pubescent between the striae; ligule 

 hyaline, obtuse, 1.5 mm. long; leaf blades linear, glabrous, 10 to 18cm. long, 

 about 2 mm. wide. Panicles 15 to 25 cm. long, interrupted, the branches erect 

 or ascending, the lower ones 5 to 7 cm. long, somewhat flexuous. Spikelets 

 3 to 3.5 mm. long, 2 to 3 flowered; first glume very narrow, linear, slightly 

 scabrous on the keel, about 2 mm. long; second glume 2.5 mm. long, broadly 

 ovate, acute, slightly scabrous on the keel; sessile floret about 2.5 mm. lung, 

 acute, very slightly scabrous and punctate, its palea nearly equaling the 

 glume ; pedicellate spikelet shorter, scabrous, bearing a scabrous awn just 

 below the apex 1 to 2 mm. in length, which is sharply geniculate, forming 

 nearly a right angle with the glume. 



Type specimen collected in South Carolina by A. H. Curtiss in 1875. 



This species closely resembles Eatonia filiformis in its very long, narrow leaves 

 and panicles, but is distinguished from that species by its larger spikelets 

 and awned second floret. It is most closely related to Eatonia pallenn, Init 

 is at once distinguished by its elongated and very narrow leaves, smaller 

 spikelets, and geniculate awn of the second flowering glume. 



This plant was considered by Vasey ^ as being identical with the species dis- 

 ciissed as a hybrid between Eatonia pennHylvank-a and Trisetinn palvstre, 

 but it is very distinct from that species. This form, like Eatonia pallens, 

 shows the close relationship of Eatonia to Trisetum. 



EATONIA PALLENS (Spreng. ) Scribn. & Merrill, new comb. {Air a pallens 

 Spreng. Mant. Fl. Hal. 33. 1807; A. pallens Muhl. Descr. 84. 1817, at least 

 in part; Trisetum p)alustre Torr. X Eatonia jjennsylvanica (DC.) A. Gray; 

 Vasey, Bot. Gaz. 9:165. 1884; and Scribn. 1. c. 167. J?y. 1.) 



An erect perennial 6 to 10 dm. high, with linear leaves, long contracted panicles 

 and pale spikelets, the second flowering glume bearing a slender awn at the 

 apex. Culms and nodes glabrous ; sheaths shorter than the internodes, stri- 

 ate, glabrous; ligule about 2 mm. long, hyaline, obtuse, lacerate; leaf 

 blades thin, 7 to 16 cin. long, 3 to 5 mm. wide, scarcely narrowed at the auricu- 

 late base, striate, slightly scabrous on the margins and nerves above, other- 

 wise glabrous. Panicle pale, exserted, lanceolate in outline, 12 to 18 cm. long, 

 the branches f asciciilate, erect or ascending, slender and somewhat flexuous, 

 the lowers ones 5 to 6 cm. long, naked below, rather densely flowered above. 

 Spikelets 4 mm. long, 2-flawered; empty glumes very unequal, the first 2.5 

 mm. long strongly-compressed, scabrous on the keel, hyaline on the margins, 

 lanceolate, acute and about 0.6 mm. broad when spread out, the second 

 glume 3 mm. long, much broader than the first, scabrous on the keel, broadly 

 obovate, about 1.7 mm. broad when spread out; first floret sessile, its flower- 

 ing glume 3.3 mm. long, lanceolate, acute, scabrous on the keel, peculiarly 

 and finely punctate. Palea hyaline 2.5 mm. long, cleft at the apex. Sec- 

 ond floret pedicellate, its rachilla somewhat hispid, similar to the sessile 

 floret except in being slightly shorter and bearing a slender .scabrous some- 

 what flexuous awn about 3 mm. long, immediately below the apex. 



iBot. Gaz. 9:166. 1884. 



