42 



Type specimen collected in swamps, Mendocino County, Cal., by H. N. Bolander 

 (4766, 4787). 



Specimens examined. — J'ancourer Island: Home Lake, (Macouu 123, 17372 H. G. 

 S. C), 1887; Lake Karmutzeii, (Dawson 45, 17371 H. G. 8. C), 1885. Washington: 

 Whatcom Lake, Whatcom County, (Suksdorf 1024), 1890. California: Mendo- 

 cino, (Bolander 14), 1865; (Bolander 4766, 4787), 1866. 



Allied to ('. lujiHrhovea from which it differs in its small size ; short and compara- 

 tively wide leaf-blades; small panicle; broad ovate, merely acute, very thick 

 and (except on the keel) obscurely scabrous empty glumes. The California 

 specimens represent the most distinct form. Others approach C. hypcrhorea in 

 their taller culms, smaller spikelets, and more scabrous empty j-lumes. 



II. DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW OR LITTLE-KNOWN GRASSES. 



By F, Lamson-Scribner. 



PANICUM LINEARirOLIUM Scribn., sp. n. (PL I.) 



A slender, erect, densely ciespitose grass, 2 to 4 dm. high, with rather long, linear 

 leaves and open panicles 5 to 8 cm. long. Culms sim])le or branching near the 

 base, glabrous. Sheaths glabrous or pilose, with rather long (3 mm.), spreading 

 •hairs. Ligule a dense fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5 to 15 cm. loug, about 4 mm. 

 wide, very acute, scabrous on both sides and occasionally sparingly pilose. 

 Panicle-branches solitary or in pairs, more or less spreading, flexuous, scabrous. 

 Spikelets obovate or oblong, obtuse, 2 to 2.5 mm. long. First glume nerveless, 

 pilose at least near the base, broadly obtuse, clasping the base of the spikelet, 

 about 0.5 mm. long; second glume as long as the spikelet, oblong, obtuse, 

 7-nerved, glabrous or sparingly pilose ; third glume as long as the second, obtuse, 

 7-nerved, glabrous or sparingly pilose, with a palea about half its length. 

 Fruiting glume 2 ram. long, obtuse. 



New England, southward to Virginia and westward to Texas. 



This species is similar in habit and is very closely related to Panicum (Upauperatum, 

 from which it is at once distinguished by its smaller and more obtuse spikelets. 

 In Panicum depauperaium the spikelets are about 3.5 mm. long, and the second and 

 third glumes are decidedly longer than the dowering glume and more prominently 

 ucrved, the iirst glume being distinctly 1- and occasionally 3-nerved, the second 

 usually !)-nerved. When dry the spikelets in P. depauperatum have the appear- 

 ance of being slightly beaked, while in P. linearifolium they are distinctly obtuse. 



PANICUM EQUILATERALE Scribu., sp. n. (PI. II.) 



A cicspitose, glabrous species 3 to 6 dm. high, branching above with long, lanceolate 

 leaves, <liffu8e i^anicles 7 to 10 cm. long, and erect (or geniculate at the lower 

 nodes), smooth calms. Sheaths much sliorter than the internode, smooth, pubes- 

 cent, or subciliate on the overlapping margin. Ligule very short, almost obso- 

 lete. Leaf-blades5tol7cm.long,0.5to 1. 5 cm. broad, very ncute, smooth beneath, 

 minutely scabrous above, usually with a few long hairs on the margins aieai 

 the base. Panicle branches sjjreading somewhat Hexuous, pubescent on the axils, 

 otherwise smooth. Spikelets elliptical or obovate, about 3 mm. long. First 

 glume half the length of the spikelet, obtuse or acute, 3-nerve<l ; second and 

 third glumes ni^arly e(jual, slightly iiubescent, 7 to D-nerved; the third with an 

 imjierfect palea. Flowering glume about as long as the third glume, glabrous. 



In pine lauds, Florida (No. 1120, George V. Nash, .June, 1894); scrubby hummock 

 lands, Florid.i (No. 1674, George V. Nash, August, 1894). 



This species belongs to the group which includes Panicum com inn lain in. The spike- 

 lets are more oblong than in that species and the leaves are narrower in propor- 

 tion to their length. This species is conspicuous for its long, narrow leaves with 

 nearly juirallel margins. 



