280 Bulletin No. 205 [March, 



Andropogon virginicus L, 



Virginia Beard Grass. Broom Sedge (Figs. 24 and 25) 



Andropogon virginicus, Lapham '57, 549, 599; Patterson '76, 53; Flagg '78, 

 285. A. dissitiflonis, Brendel '87, 89. A. virginicus, Higley and Raddin '91, 140. 



Culms smooth or sparsely pubescent, 1.5 to 4 feet tall; leaves 

 usually smooth ; spikes slender, 2, 3, or more inclosed in a prominent 

 spathe; pediceled spikelets reduced to a minute scale, or only the 

 pedicel present ; sessile spikelets 3 to 4 mm. long, the awns very long 

 and straight. 



This grass grows best in rather sterile soil. It is often looked upon 

 as a weed because it forces more valuable plants from permanent' pas- 

 tures, tho it furnishes fairly good grazing early in the season. 



COOK CO. Evanston, SMimian, Sept., 1875. fulton CO. Without locality, 

 Fepoon. ST. clair co. Without locality, Brendel, 1850; Mascoutah, Welsch. 

 WABASH CO. Without locality, ScJmecl'; without locality. Shearer; Mt. Carmel, 

 *S'f/n?rcA-, Oct., 187G; Walter's farm, Schncck, Oct., 1900; Simond's farm, Schneck, 

 Oct., 1897. 



4. SORGHASTRUM Nash 



This genus is closely related to Andropogon, but has the spikelets 

 in panicles. It is found in both tropical and temperate climates. The 

 spikelets are in pairs or in threes at the ends of the panicle branches 

 and are of two kinds, a sessile perfect spikelet with one or two slender, 

 hairy pedicels, the sterile spikelet obsolete. 



Sorghastrum nutans (Ij.) Nash 

 Indian Grass. Wood Grass. Wild Sorghum (Figs. 26 and 27) 



Andropogon avenaceum, Michaux '03, 58. Sorghum nutans, Lapham '57, 

 549, 601 (Plate 4, Fig. 7); Patterson '76, 53; Flagg '78, 285. Chrysopogon 

 nutans, Brendel '87, 64; Higley and Raddin '91, 141; Huett '97, 129. Sorghas- 

 irum avenaceum, Gleason '07, 181. Sorghastrum nutans, Gleason '10, 147; Glea- 

 son '12, 48; Gates '12, 354. 



Culms smooth, 3 to 6 feet tall ; leaves long and narrow, the blades 

 slightly rough ; ligule membranous, 3 to 5 mm. long, the edge slightly 

 fringed ; spikelets 6 to 8 mm. long, pubescent, especially at base, the 

 awn loosely twisted, 12 to 15 mm. long. 



This grass is perennial by long, creeping rootstocks. It was one of 



the grasses of the original prairie and was found over practically the 



same area as Andropogon furcatus. When in bloom it is one of the 



most beautiful of our native grasses, with its graceful bronze-colored 



panicles and bright yellow anthers. 



ILLINOIS SPECIMENS: Without locality, Vascy. champaign CO. Without 

 locality, Searle, Oct., 1876; Urbana, Clinton, Aug., 1895; Champaign, Gihbs, Oct., 

 1898; Champaign, Clinton, Aug., 1898. christian co. Taylorville, Andrews. 

 COOK CO. Chicago, A. Chase, Aug., 1901. du page co. Hinsdale, Smith, Oct., 

 1902. FULTON CO. Without locality, Pcpoon; Canton, Wolf, jo daviess co. E. 

 of Warren, Pepoon 562. kankakee co. Kankakee, De Selm, Sept., 1913. lake 



