Circular No. 29. ^^ (Agros. T8.) 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



DIVISION OF AGROSTOLOGY. 



[Grass and Forage-Plant Investigations.] 

 F. Lamson-Scribner, Agrostologist. 



THE GRASSES IN ELLIOTT'S "SKETCH OF THE BOTANY OF SOUTH 



CAROLINA AND GEORGIA." 



One of America's most distinguished botanists was Stephen Elliot, born at 

 Beaufort, S. C, in 1771. He was a man of marked ability, and began his career 

 as a legislator, in which capacity he served his State for many years, taking a 

 leading part in many of the important measures of his day. Although con- 

 stantly engaged in public and engrossing financial business, he did not neglect 

 literary and scientific pursuits. He found time during his busy life to prepare 

 what he modestly termed a "Sketch of the Botany of South Carolina and Geor- 

 gia," a work of 1,344 pages, written in Latin and English, and containing a dozen 

 finely executed plates, illustrating nearly 50 species of grasses and sedges. The 

 work is an enduring monument to Elliott's scientific skill and acumen. Not 

 until one has prepared a book where almost every line contains a statement of 

 fact learned from original observation, can he fully appreciate the amount of 

 patience and labor involved in the preparation of such a work as the ' ' Sketch of 

 the Botany of South Carolina and Georgia." For many years Elliot's "Sketch " 

 was the only botanical authority for the plants of the region it embraced, and 

 to-day it remains indispensable to the working systematic botanists of our 

 country. 



Elliott began the publication of his work in parts. The first part, including 

 pp. 1-96, was published in October, 1816; the second, which carried the work to 

 pp. 222, was issued in February, 1817. This second part contained descriptions 

 of the grasses, and is, therefore, the one most immediately interesting to agros- 

 tologists. ' The entire work was finally issued in two volumes, the first volume, 

 containing parts 1-5, was published in 1821, as indicated by the title page, the 

 second in 1824. 



The following notes presented here for publication are based upon a careful 

 examination of the collection several years ago by myself, the notes then taken 

 having been recently verified by Mr. Elmer D. Merrill, who was by my direction 

 sent to Charleston for that purpose. I wish to thank the authorities of the Col- 

 lege of Charleston for kindly extending to the Department the privileges accorded 

 to it, enabling us to accomplish our object. 



NOTES ON THE SPECIES. 



Many species noted below were described by Elliott as new, but 

 some had been published by foreign botanists who had received speci- 

 mens from American collectors, and a few of the earlier published 

 species taken up by Elliott were misunderstood by him. There is 

 much existing doubt respecting the identity of some of Elliott's 



' Anthoxanthum and the species of Erianthus were published in the first part. 



