422 GRAMINACEiE. 



III. Panice^. Spikelets 2-Jlowered; the lower flower imperfect, 

 usually neutral, rarely staminate. Glumes of a thinner texture than 

 the jpalecc ; the lower one often {rarely both) abortive. Palecc mare or 

 less coriaceous, mostly awnless ; the lower one concave, 



8. PA SP ALUM. i.m?i.— Paspalum. 



(From the Greek TraaTraXoj, millet ; on account of the resemblance of its grain.) 

 Spikelets 2-flowered. Glume single. Lower flower neutral, 

 of a single palea, membranaceous, awnless, as long as the glume. 

 Perfect flowers with 2 coriaceous awnless paleee ; the lower 

 concave and embracing the upper. Stamens 3. — Flowers in 

 unilateral spikes. 



1. P. setaceum Mich.: culm erect or decumbent, slender; leaves and 

 sheaths hairy ; spikes mostly 2, the one on a long, the other on a short pe- 

 duncle from the same sheath ; spikelets in 2 rows. P. pubescens Muhl. 



Sandy fields. N. Y. to Car. July, Aug. 'Zl-. — Cf^m prostrate or erect, 1 — 2 

 feet high. Leaves narrow, mostly very hairy and cmate on the margin. Ter- 

 minal spike on a peduncle which is 5 — 6 inches long. Hairy Paspalum. 



2. P. cUiatifoli^Lm, Mich. : culm decumbent; leaves hairy and ciliate, 

 sheaths hairy ; spikes 1 — 2, rather lax ; spikelets indistinctly 3-rowed. P. 

 cUiatum Pursk. 



Sandy fields. Mass. to Car. Sept. %. — CuZm 18 inches long, slender and 

 simple. Spike mostly solitary, terminal. Fringed Paspalum. 



3. P. lesve Mich.: culm erect, Very smooth, rather stout; leaves short, 

 mostly smooth, hairy at base ; spikes 3 — 6, alternate ; spikelets in two 

 rows, oVoid-roundish, smooth. 



Dry meadows. N. Y. to Car. Aug. %. — Culm H — 3 feet high. Leaves 

 broad-linear, long. Spikes usually 3—4, spreading ; rachis flexuous. 



Smooth Paspalum. 



4. P. sLoloniferum Bosc. : culm prostrate at base ; leaves short, subcor- 

 date ; spikes in elongated racemes, somewhat verticillate, spreading ; flow- 

 ers serrulate-ciliate, transversely rugose. 



Cedar swamps. N. J. Aug. '2J.. — Culm 2 feet long, branched, geniculate, 

 stoloniferous. Spikes very numerous (30 — 50.) Stoloniferous Paspalum. 



9. MILIUM. Linn.— MiWet Grass. 



(Supposed to be derived from the Latin mille, a thousand; on account of its 

 fertility.) 



Spikelets 2-flowered. Glume single, membranaceous, con- 

 cave. Lower flower neutral, and consisting of a single palea re- 

 sembling the glume ; upper flower perfect, the paleae awnless. 

 Lower palea concave and embracing the upper. Stamens 3- 

 < — Panicle spreading. 



1, M. efusum Linn.: panicle diffuse, compound, branches horizontal; 

 glumes ovate, very obtuse ; paleae awnless, smooth and shining. 



