PLIANTS OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. 189 



Syntherisma filiformis (L.). Slender Finger-grass. 



PI. VII, Fig. 6. 



Panicum filiformae Linnaeus, Sp. PI. 57. 1753 [North America]. 

 Panicum Miforme Kneiskern 39. — Britton 279. 

 Digitaria pilosd Fursh, Fl. Am. Sept. I. 70. 1814. 



Frequent in diry sandy soil throughout our region and re- 

 ported from only two stations in the northern counties. 



This native finger-grass may be distinguished from the intro- 

 duced species so common on roadsides, fields and grass plots, by 

 its slender erect habit. The Large and Small Crab grass S. 

 sanguinalis and vS. linearis are coarse and more or less pros- 

 trate ; the former is a very abundant weed along the coast, trail- 

 ing over the sand hills and appearing like a native plant. 



Fl. — Late July to mid-September. 



Middle District.— Nevj Egypt, Haddonfield (S), Griffith's Swamp, Medford 

 (S), Swedesboro. 



Pine Barrens. — Clementon, Swedesboro (S). 



Coast Strip. — St. Albans (L), Beach Haven (L), Peahala (L), Sherburn's 

 (L), Ocean City. 



Cape May.— Cold Spring (OHB), Cape May (S), Cape May Pt. 



PANICUM L. 



Flowering and Fruiting Data. — Dates given cover the period 

 of both primary and secondary panicles. In most species they 

 follow one another so closely as to leave no appreciable time when 

 the plant is not in flower or fruit. 



Key to the Species.* 



a. Annual. 



b. Inflorescence, a more or less diffuse panicle. 



c. Spikelets tuberculate. Panicum verrucosum, p. 194 



cc. Spikelets not tuberculate. 



d. First glume not more than one-quarter the length of the spike- 

 let. P. dichototniHorum, p. 195 

 dd. First glume one-half the length of the spikelet. 



e. Panicle more than half the total height of the plant. 



P. capillare, p. 195 

 ee. Panicle not more than half the height of the plant. 



P. philadelpliicum, p. 195 



* Adapted from Hitchcock and Chase. Practically all the specimens listed 

 beyond were identified by these authors when engaged upon their mono- 

 graph. Additional South Jersey localitiese given in this work are quoted in 

 lists of localities and credited to "H. & C." 



