650 MISC. PUBLICATION 200, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



90. Panicum malacophyllum Nash. (Fig. 1429.) Vernal phase 

 velvety or velvety-pilose throughout; culms slender, 25 to 70 cm tall, 

 ascending or spreading, the nodes retrorsely bearded; ligule 1 to 1.5 

 mm long; blades 7 to 10 cm long, 6 to 12 mm wide; panicle 3 to 7 cm 

 long; spikelets 2.9 to 3 mm long, papillose-pilose. Autumnal phase 

 spreading, forming bushy topheavy clumps with reduced blades. 

 Qi — Sandy woods, Tennessee to Kansas and Texas (fig. 1430). 



91. Panicum helleri Nash. (Fig. 1431.) Vernal culms 25 to 60 

 cm tall, ascending or spreading, appressed-pilose below, often glab- 



Figure 1429. — Panicum malacophyllum. Two views of 

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



Figure 1430.— Distribution of 

 Panicum malacophyllum. 



rous above; sheaths sparsely papillose-hispid to glabrous; blades 

 rather thin, glabrous on both surfaces or pubescent beneath, ciliate 

 toward the base; panicle 6 to 12 cm long; spikelets 2.9 to 3 mm long, 

 glabrous or with a few scattered hairs. Autumnal phase branching 

 at all but the lowest nodes, forming loose sprawling tufts, the blades 

 widely spreading, not much reduced, the long-pediceled spikelets 

 rather conspicuous among the foliage. % — Open woods and 

 prairies, Missouri and Oklahoma to Louisiana and New Mexico (fig. 

 1432). Closely related to P. scribnerianum. 



Figure 1432.— Distribution of 

 Panicum helleri. 



Figure 1431. — Panicum helleri. Two views of 

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



92. Panicum scribnerianum Nash. (Fig. 1433.) Vernal culms 

 20 to 50 cm tall, glabrous or harshly puberulent or sometimes ascend- 

 ing-pilose; sheaths striate, papillose-hispid to nearly glabrous; blades 

 ascending or erect, 5 to 10 cm long, 6 to 12 mm wide, firm, rounded at 

 the ciliate base, glabrous on the upper surface, appressed-pubescent 

 to glabrous beneath; panicle 4 to 8 cm long; spikelets 3.2 to 3.3 mm 

 long, obovate, blunt, sparsely pubescent to nearly glabrous. Autum- 

 nal phase branching from the middle and upper nodes. % — Sandy 

 soil or dry prairies, Maine to British Columbia, south to Maryland, 

 Tennessee, Texas, and Arizona (fig. 1434). 



