GRAMINACE45. 423 



Woods and meadows. Can. and N. Y. July, Aug. %. — Culm 3 — 6 feet 

 high, erect, simple, smooth. Leaves broad-linear, smooth beneath, roughish 

 above. Panicle oblong, 6 — 10 mches in length. Common Millet-grass. 



2. M. amphicarpon Pursh : leaves linear-lanceolate, hairy, ciliate ; pan- 

 icle simple, contracted, bearing staminate flowers; fertile flowers on solitary 

 elongated radical scapes, at length subterraneous, M. ciliatum MuJiL. 



Sandy Swamps. N. J. Aug., Sept. %. — Culms numerous, 1 — ^2 feet high, 

 assurgent. Panicle appressed. Glumes acuminate. This species is well 

 figured by Pursh. Fringed Millet-grass. 



10. DIGITARIA. Scop.— Finger Grass. 

 (From the Latin digitus, k finger ; the spikes being digitate or finger-like.) * 



Spikelets unilateral, in pairs, on short bifid pedicels. Glumes 

 mostly 2-valved ; lower valve very small, sometimes wanting. 

 Lower flower abortive ; paleae single, membranaceous. Upper 

 flower perfect ; palese 2, coriaceous, nearly equal, lance-oblong. 

 — Spikes linear, digitate or fasciculate. 



1. D. sanguinalis Scop. : leaves and sheaths somewhat hairy ; spikes 

 numerous, fascicled, somewhat spreading ; spikelets oblong, in pairs ; flow- 

 ers pubescent on the margin. Panicwri sanguinale Lin7i. 



Cultivated grounds. Can. to Car. Aug.— Oct. Q.—Culm 12 — 18 inches 

 long, decumbent or assurgent. Leaves lanceolate, sometimes undulate on the 

 margin. Spikes usually 4 — 6, sometimes 8 — 9, becoming purple ; rachis flex- 

 uous. Hairy Finger-grass. Crab-grass. 



2. D. glabra R. <^ S. : leaves and sheaths smooth ; spikes digitate, some- 

 what alternate, (3 — 4,) spreading ; spikelets ovoid, crowded ; lower glume 

 almost wanting, upper as long as the abortive flower, both hairy. Pani- 

 cum glahruvi Gaud. Torr. ( Torr. N. Y. Ft.) 



Sandy fields. N. Y. to Virg. Aug., Sept. ®. — Culm about a foot long, 

 mostly decumbent. Leaves sometimes very slightly hairy. Spikes mostly 3, 

 about 2 inches long. Probably introduced. Smooth Finger-grass. 



3. D.filiformis Deauv. : culm filiform, erect ; leaves short; lower sheaths 

 very hairy ; spikes 2 — 4, filiform, alternate and opposite ; spikelets in twos 

 and threes, all pedicellate, elliptic-oblong ; glume l-valved, as long as the 

 abortive flower, pubescent. Panicum filiforme Linn. 



Sandy fields. N. Y. to Geor. Aug. Q.—Culm 1—2 feet high, very slen- 

 der. Leaves 1 — 2 inches long, sometimes a little hairy. Spikes mostly 2, 

 1 — 2 inches long ; rachis rough, flexuous. Slender Finger-grass. 



11. PANICUM. jLwm.— Panic Grass. 



(Said to be derived from the Latin panis, bread ; the grain of some species 

 being used for food.) 



Spikelets 2-flowered, naked. Glumes 2, unequal, membrana- 

 ceous, conoave. Lower flower of one or two paleae, staminate or 

 neutral, membranaceous. Upper flower perfect ; the pajese 2, 

 coriaceous, nearly equal, concave.- Stamens 3. — Spikelets in 

 loose or somewhat racemose panicles. 



