﻿298 Nash: Genus Syntherisma in North America 





distinction I take pleasure in raising it, thus concurring; with Mr. 

 Simpson, of Manatee, Fla., who has long maintained its right to 

 recognition as a species, and in whose honor the varietal name was 

 given. 



Mr. Simpson, who first brought this grass to the attention of 

 botanists, informs me that it was originally discovered by Mr. 



James J 



Bayou, on Long Key 



situated southwest of Sarasota Bay. It made a very dense and 

 rank growth from 3^-4 feet tall, being much more vigorous 

 along low ground, thus indicating its preference for a moist saline 

 soil. Hay made at the above locality was taken to the vicinity of 

 Manatee, the seed thus becoming scattered and introducing the 

 plant into that region. It thrived in a ditch for a short time, but ha 

 now disappeared. Prior to its disappearance Mr. Simpson trans- 

 planted a turf into his own yard, which has now spread to a consid- 

 erable extent. It was from this transplanted material that the 

 specimens were made from which the above description is drawn. 

 Mr. Simpson also informs me that he has been to Long Key three 

 times since the original discovery of this grass, but has failed to 

 detect it there. Mr. Crowley knew of its occurrence nowhere else 

 but at this one place on Long Key, and from Mr. Simpson's ex- 

 perience in searching for it, it would appear that the only known 

 locality for it at present is in Mr. Simpson's garden, near Manatee. 

 It is to be hoped that it will turn up from other localities, and this 

 will probably be the case when that little known region is more 

 thoroughly explored and its yet hidden botanical treasures broug 



ht 



to view. 



Dr. Vasey,* in addition to the locality above given, indicates 



M 



the occurrence of this grass also in Mississippi, and cites S. 

 Tracy as the collector. All the specimens so named I have seen 

 from that state collected by Mr. Tracy belong to 5. fimbriate * ts 

 occurrence, therefore, outside of Florida remains to be verified. 



7. Syntherisma serotixa Walt. Fl. Car. 76. 1788. 



Digitaria serotina Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1 : 46. 1803. 



Panicum serotinum Trim Gram. Panic 166. 1826. 



Culms 2-5 dm. long, tufted, at first simple and erect, at lengt 



_ - - ,,..„,— — -i 1 -■ - 1 r - - ■ 1 



C'ontr. U. S. Nat Herb. 3: 25. 1892. 



