194 



glabrous. Culms erect, or sometimes decumbent, slender, 2-4 

 dm. tall, at length somewhat branched, the lower internodes 

 puberulent, the nodes sparingly barbed ; sheaths generally longer 

 than the internodes, ciliatc on the margins, the lowermost pubes- 

 cent ; ligule a Cringe of very short hairs; leaves elongated, in- 

 creasing in length toward the top of the culm, erect, linear, acum- 

 inate at the apex, narrowed toward the ciliate base, scabrous on 

 the margins, 7-9 nerved, the midnerve prominent at the base, the 

 primary leaves 8-16 cm. long, 5-10 mm. wide, the uppermost one 

 usually about equaUing the panicle, the leaves on the branches 

 shorter, the upper ones much exceeding the panicle ; primary pani- 

 cles ovate, 6-8 cm. in length, the main axis scabrous as are also 

 the ascending slightly flcxuous branches, the secondary panicle 

 much smaller with u.sually appressed branches ; spikelets obovate, 

 obscurely pointed, 2.5-3 mm. long, the first scale broadly ovate 

 or triangular, acutish, one quarter as long as the spikelet, spar.sely 

 pubescent, i -nerved, the second and third scales membranous, 

 equal in length, 9-nerved, pubescent with short spreading hairs, 

 the latter enclosing a hyaline palet about one-half its length, the 

 fourth scale chartaceous, yellowish, oval, obtusely apiculate, en- 

 closing a palet of equal length and similar texture. 



The type specimens were collected by Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell, 

 in whose honor I take pleasure in naming it, in Bronx Park, on 

 July 21, 1895. It was also obtained by Dr. Thomas C. Porter, on 

 the slate hills near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on July 30, 1896. 



A most peculiar grass, resembling much in habit P. depaupera- 

 iiun, and evidently allied to it, but the leaves are much broader 

 and of a different shape and the spikelets smaller and but ob- 

 scurely pointed. 



Panicum Bkittoni n. sp. 



Whole plant, with the exception of the spikelets, smooth and 

 glabrous. Culms coarsely .striate, densely caespitose, slender, 

 erect, rigid, 1-2 dm. tall^ simple or sparingly branched ; sheaths 

 closely embracing the culm, striate, less than one-half the length 

 of the internodes ; ligule a ring of short hairs, about .5 mm. long; 

 leaves longer than the sheaths, the basal ones broadly lanceolate, 

 more or less spreading, 1.5 cm. long or less, 3-4 mm. wide, those 

 on the culm three in number, the middle one the longest, 1-3 cm. 

 long, 1.5-3 mm. wide, strictly erect, acuminate at the apex, 

 generally somewhat narrowed toward the rounded base, primary 

 nerves 5-7; panicle broadly ovate, 2-3 cm. long, the branches 

 spreading or ascending, the lower ones 1-2 cm. long, the ultimate 

 divisions sparingly scabrous, twice as long as the spikelets or 

 longer; spikelets obovoid, or nearly oval, obtuse, about 1.3 mm. 

 long, the first scale about one-third as long as the spikelet, mem. 



