146 TRIANDRIA. DIGYNIA. panicum. 



by a villous ring. Leaves few, lanceolate-linear, about 3 inches 

 long, and 2-3 lines broad, smooth, (the lower ones .often pu- 

 bescent, membranaceous and a little shining, acute, ciliate at 

 the base. Sheaths half the length of the joints, smooth, ex- 

 cept along the margin, which is villous. Stifiule 0. Panicle 

 exsert, compound. Sfiikrleis rather numerous, at the extremi- 

 ties of the almost verticillate branches, oblong, nearly smooth, 

 obtuse. Inievxov ghime very minute, scarious on the margin, 

 obtuse; superior glume obscurely 5-nerved,subcarinate. Abor- 

 tive floret 2-valved, neutral; superior valve less than half the 

 length of the inferior, bifid. Corolla of the fertile floret 

 shining, as long as the calyx. Stamens 3. Stigmas 2, purple. 

 Hab. In meadows and woods. June — July. Of this grass there 

 are many varieties, the principal of which are the following : — 



a. aliatum : culm hairy ; leaves linear-lanceolate, (the 

 lower ones broader,) sparingly hirsute, ciliate on the margin j 

 panicle with the branches and flowers pubescent. 



/8. ramulosum ; culm more branched ; panicle contract- 

 ed, branches smooth. 



y. graciie : culm very slender, smooth ; leaves very 

 narrow, and with the sheaths smooth ; panicle nearly simple ; 

 few-How ered, smooth ; superior valve of the abortive floret 

 minute, entire ? 



J. pilosum : culm simple, very hairy ; lower leaves ap- 

 proj:imate and broad, lanceolate ; upper ones Iin*ear, rather 

 rigid, somewhat hairy on the upper surface, ciliate at the base ; 

 sheaths villose and minutely papillose ; panicle subcontracted ; 

 branches virgate, and with the flowers, pubescent. 



E, glabrum : smooth on every part except the base of the 

 leaves, nearly simple ; lower leaves short, approximate, sub- 

 cartilaginous ; panicle branched, almost verticillate, spikelets 

 large '; superior valve of the abortive floret entire. P. niiidum 

 Schw einit z, 



i. harbatum : culm simple, smooth j nodes hairy ; leaves* 



linear-lanceolate ; sheaths smooth, except on the margin ; 



panicle subsimple, smooth ; flowers minutely pubescent. P. 



discolor M u h L Gram. p. 114. S pr en g. Mant. I. p. 31 . 



Roem. ^ Schtilt. U. ^. All. 



Hab. «. in the pine-barrens of New- Jersey, and on the Islanu of 

 New-York. A foot and a half high /3. near Quaker-bridge 

 New-Jeisey. June. Two feet high. y. near Niw-York. 

 About a foot high. )•. in dry woods, &c. New-York. e. in 

 meadows; common. ^. in woods and meadows. June A 

 foot high. 



14. P. agrostoides MuhL: culm compressed, smooth 



