186 Bicknell : Ferns and flowering plants of Nantucket 



tufted, with numerous secondary branches and panicles among the 

 crowded basal leaves. Named in compliment to Mrs. Maria L. 

 Owen, whose name is already inseparably connected with the study 

 of the Nantucket flora. 



An interesting Panicum, connecting the de pauper atum and 

 dichotomum groups, and related to both P. lineariifolium and P. 

 Bicknellii. Its relationship to the latter does not readily appear 

 from its general aspect but becomes evident on closer study. 

 The essential differences are the much smaller, obtuse, instead of 

 acute, spikelets, much narrower leaves pubescent beneath, soft- 

 puberulent culm and panicle, secondary panicles on branches bear- 

 ing close tufts of short leaves, generally smaller proportions, and 



greater amount of pubescence throughout. 



* Panicum Bicknellii Nash. 



A large, spreading, nearly prostrate tuft growing among Am- 

 mophila on a wide sandy tract on Little Neck, September 14, 

 1906. Spikelets remaining only on the secondary panicles. 



This grass would seem to be almost out of place on Nan- 

 tucket, although it is less exclusively an inhabitant of open rocky 

 woods than has been supposed, for it occurs, also, though rarely, 

 in open sandy fields on Long Island. 



The Nantucket plant is not in the least doubtful, although the 

 prostrate position and unusually firm and roughened leaves are 

 noteworthy : larger culms 5 dm. long, leaves mostly 3-5 mm. 

 wide, 6-10 cm. long, firm, scabrellous on the upper surface, 

 becoming involute toward the apex or even narrowed to a terete 

 attenuation, at least the lower leaves sparsely ciliate towards the 

 base; internodes puberulent; lower nodes slightly bearded; 

 sheaths glabrous or obscurely pubescent, the margins somewhat 

 pilose ; panicle scabrous, 6-9 cm. long ; culm glabrate ; spikelets 

 2.5 mm. long, acutish, puberulent, the nervation formula, 1, 9> 7- 



* Panicum dichotomum L. 



Apparently rare, and met with only on the moors near the 

 fifth mile post of the railroad — the common woodland plant. It 

 appears smooth and glabrous throughout, but actually the sheaths 

 of the short basal leaves are appressed-pilose and the lowermost 

 internodes sometimes obscurely puberulent ; there are also often a 

 few long, erect or reflexed white hairs at the base of the leaf, 



• 



