New or noteworthy American Grasses.— VII. 



By George V. Nash. 



Erianthus laxus n. sp. 



Culms erect, stoutish, 2-3 metres tall, pubescent with appressed 

 hairs, toward the base scanty and short, at the apex longer and 

 copious. Nodes densely pubescent with appressed grayish hairs ; 

 sheaths striate, the inner surface spotted and tinged with red- 

 brown, the outer surface densely hirsute with ascending gray hairs, 

 the lower sheaths throughout, the upper ones only at the base and 

 apex, with the intermediate portion but sparingly pubescent; li- 

 gule 3-4 mm. long, rounded at the apex, irregularly lacerate- 

 toothed ; leaves flat, 2-5 dm. long, 6-12 mm. wide, long-acumi- 

 nate at the apex, a little narrowed toward the base, rough on the 

 margins, hirsute on both surfaces, the upper surface becoming 

 glabrous when old ; panicle gray in hue, 4-5 dm. long, i dm. wide 

 or less, loose, the main axis copiously pubescent with long, silky 

 appressed hairs, as are also the elongated lax and flexuous ascend- 



