pANicuM. TRIANDRIA. DIGYNIA. 147 



erect; leaves very long ; panicles lateral and terminal, py- 

 ramidal, spreading; branches racemiferous ; spikelets appress- 

 ed ; abortive floret neutral, valves nearly equal. M it h l. 

 Gram. p. 119. Sp r e n g. pug. 11. p. 4. R o cm. ^ Schult. 

 II .p. 456. Pe agrostidiforme Lam. fit. 805. Enc. Meth. IV. 

 p. 748. (fide R. <$r S.) P. elongaiwn Pursh Fl. \. p. 69. 

 Ro em. ^ S chult. \], p. 452. nee P o-ir. Enc. Supp. IV. 

 p. 278. 



R«o( perennial, creeping? Cuim 2-5 feet high, smooth at the 

 joints. Leaves forming a large tuft about the root, varying in 

 length, linear and smooth; those on the culm about a- foot Img 

 andnearly 2 lines broad. 5.^eccA shorter than the joibts. Sri/mle 

 very short, obliquely truncate. Panicles lateral and terminal, 

 generally dark purple ; the lateral ones on long compressed 

 peduncles proceeding from the sheaths of the leaves; branches 

 slightly flexuous and at length horizontal. S/iikelets sub- 

 secund, crowded, on short peduncles, smooth, acute. Inferior 

 glume half the length of the superior, very acute, carinate ; 

 superior valve longer than the abortive floret, marked with 5 

 prominent nerves. Abortive floret 2-valved ; superior valve 

 subherbaceous, acute, 1 -nerved. Perfect Jloret nearly a third 

 shorter than the other, smooth and shining. 

 Hab. In wet meadows; common near New-York. July— Sep- 

 tember. 



15. P. virgaium L,: whole plant very smooth ; panicle 

 diffuse, very large; flowers acuminate; valves of th'- abortive 

 floret nearly equal. Sp.pl 87. Willd, Spec. I.. p. 353. 

 M i c h. FL I. p. 48. M u h L Gram. p. r20. Elliott Sic. 

 I. p. 120. Ro em. ^' S chult. II. p. 443. Gron.Virg. 

 153. 



Root perennial. Culm 3-4 feet high. Leaves very long, flat. 

 Panicle virgate, at length spreading. Spikelets large ; florets 

 a little diverging, c/umes acuminate; the inferior two-thirds 

 the length of the superior, and resembling it in structure. 

 Abortive Jloret antheriferous, with the superior valve subher- 

 baceous and very distinct, envelloping the stamens. Perfect 

 floret smooth. Nectaries very short, lacerate. 



Hab. Along the margin of salt water, but not confined to such 

 a situation. July— August. Allied to P. coloratum. 



16. P. anceps Mi c h. : culm compressed ; sheaths anci- 

 pitous, pilose ; panicle with nearly simple branches ; spikelets 

 subracemose, much acuminate; abortive floret neutral ; supe- 

 rior valve bifid. Mich. Fl.].Tp. A8. Piirsh Fl.].ip.69. 

 Elliott Sk. I. p. 118. Rotm. S^ S chult. II. p. 444. 

 P. rostralum Muhl. Gram. p. 121. Willd. Euum. h. 

 Berol. II. p. 1032. P. pennsylvanicitm S'preng. 



Root perennial. . Cuim 3 feet high. Leaves very lohg. Panicle 



