MANUAL OF THE GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 635 



decumbent, freely branching from the middle nodes, the branches 

 repeatedly branching and much exceeding the internodes, the ulti- 

 mate branchlets forming flabellate fascicles. % —Moist sandy 

 woods, Coastal Plain, New Jersey to Florida and Texas (fig. 1356). 

 The plants have much the aspect and pubescence of P. scoparium but 

 are smaller and more slender. 



49. Panicum auburne Ashe. (Fig. 1357.) Vernal phase grayish 

 velvety-villous throughout; culms 20 to 50 cm tall, geniculate, widely 



Figure 1355.— Panicum lanuginosum. Plant, X 1; two views of spikelet, and floret, X 10. 



(Hitchcock, N. C.) 



spreading, soon becoming branched and decumbent; ligule 3 to 4 

 mm long; blades 3 to 7 cm long, 3 to 5 mm wide; panicle 3 to 5 cm 

 long, the axis velvety; spikelets 1.3 to 1.4 mm long. Autumnal 

 culms early becoming diffusely branched at all the nodes, prostrate- 

 spreading, forming large mats, the branches curved upward at the 

 ends. % — Sandy pine and oak woods, Coastal Plain, Massa- 

 chusetts to northern Florida and Louisiana; Arkansas; Indiana, near 

 Lake Michigan (fig. 1358). 



Figure 1356.— Distribution of 

 Panicum tanugionsum. 



Figure 1357. — Panicum au- 

 burne. Two views of spike- 

 let, and floret, X 10. (Type.) 



Figure 1358.— Distribution of 

 Panicum auburne. 



50. Panicum thurowii Scribn. and Smith. (Fig. 1359.) Vernal 

 phase bluish green but drying olive ; culms 35 to 70 cm tall, erect or 

 ascending, villous, the nodes bearded, usually with a glabrous ring 

 below; sheaths sparsely to densely villous; ligule 4 mm long; blades 

 rather stiff, 6 to 10 mm wide, the upper surface sparingly pilose 

 toward the base and margins, otherwise glabrous, the lower surface 

 velvety-villous; panicle 7 to 11 cm long; spikelets 2 mm long. Au- 



