MANUAL OF THE GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 



573 



126. AXONOPUS Beauv. 



Spikelets depressed-biconvex, not turgid, oblong, usually obtuse, 

 solitary, subsessile, and alternate, in two rows on one side of a 3-angled 

 rachis, the back of the fertile lemma turned from the axis; first glume 

 wanting; second glume and sterile lemma equal, the lemma without 

 a palea; fertile lemma and palea indurate, the lemma oblong-elliptic, 

 usually obtuse, the margins slightly inrolled. Stoloniferous or tufted 

 perennials, rarely annuals, with usually flat or folded, abruptly 

 rounded or somewhat pointed blades, and few or numerous, slender 

 spikelike racemes, digitate or racemose along the main axis. Type 



Figure 1196.— Axonopus furcatus. Plant, X 1; spikelet and floret, X 10. (Combs 1205, Fla.) 



species, Axonopus compressus. Name from Greek axon, axis, and 

 pous, foot. 



One of the species, A. compressus, is a predominant pasture grass hi 

 the alluvial or mucky soil of the southern Coastal Plain. It is of little 

 importance on sandy soil and does not thrive on the uplands. This 

 species is also used as a lawn grass, for which purpose it is propagated 

 by setting out pieces of the stolons. 



Spikelets 4 to 5 mm long, glabrous; midnerve of glume and sterile lemma evi- 

 dent 1. A. FURCATUS. 



Spikelets about 2 mm long, sparsely appressed-silky; midnerve of glume and 

 sterile lemma suppressed 2. A. compressus. 



1. Axonopus furcatus (Fliigge) Hitchc. (Fig. 1196.) Plants stolo- 

 niferous; culms compressed, tufted, erect, or decumbent at base, 40 



to 100 cm tall; blades flat, mostly 5 to 10 mm 

 wide, glabrous, ciliate, or even hirsute; racemes 

 2, digitate, rarely a third below, spreading, 5 

 to 10 cm long; spikelets 4 to 5 mm long (rarely 

 less), glabrous, acute, glume and sterile lemma 

 5-nerved; fruit about two-thirds as long as 

 the spikelet. % —Marshes, river banks, and 

 moist pine barrens, on the Coastal Plain, south- 

 eastern Virginia to Florida, Texas, and Ar- 

 kansas (fig. 1197). (The name Aiwstrophus paspaloides has been 

 misapplied to this species. Digiiaria paspalodes Michx., upon which 

 it is based, is Paspalum distichum L.) 



Figure 1197.— Distribution of 

 Axonopus furcatus. 



