1918] The Grasses of JLLiNoig 283 



A grass of the same habit as Syntlicrisma sanguinalis and probably 

 often confused with it. It is found as a weed in gardens and cultivated 

 places but is not so common as the above-mentioned species. 



ILLINOIS specimens: Without locality, Vasey. champaign co. Urbana, 

 Clinton, Aug., 1899 ; Urbana, Seymour, Sept., 1888. fulton co. Without locality, 

 Pepoon; Canton, Wolf. JO daviess co. Without locality, Pepoon. peoria co. 

 Peoria, Brendel. stark co. Wady Petra, V. H. Chase 131. will co. Mokena, 

 A. Chase 2014. 



Syntherisma sangiiinalis (L.) Dulac 

 Common Crab Grass. Large Crab Grass (Fig. 32.) 



Panicum sanguinale, Lapham '57, 548, 593; Babcock '73, 97; Patterson '76, 

 52; Flagg '78, 284; Huett '91, 128. Digitaria sanguinalis. Gates '12, 354. 



Culms 1 to 3 feet long, much branched, spreading, rooting at the 

 lower nodes and forming large mats ; sheaths densely hairy ; blades 

 more or less pubescent on both surfaces ; nodes frequently bearded with 

 refiexed hairs ; racemes 3 to 12 ; spikelets appressed pubescent, 2.5 to 

 3.5 mm. long, usually in pairs on sharply angled pedicels, first glume 

 minute. 



This grass is one of our most troublesome weeds in Illinois, being 

 found in lawns, gardens, and among cultivated crops. It is also found 

 along roadsides and in waste places. Being an annual, it should not 

 be allowed to produce seed. When among crops it is generally de- 

 stroyed by cultivation, altho its habit of rooting at the lower nod'^s 

 inakes eradication somewhat more difficult than in the case of grasses 

 without this habit. It is most serious, however, as a lawn pest. On 

 account of its habit of growth, it is difficult to cut Avith the lawn mower, 

 and here it produces seed so close to the ground that it entirely 

 escapes the mower. Hence it comes up from seed year after year, and 

 often, especially in newly-made lawns, entirely crowds out the blue- 

 grass. 



, ILLINOIS SPECIMENS: Without locality, M. S. Bebb in 1861; without locality, 

 Hall. CHAMPAIGN CO. Urbana, Seymour, June, 1880; Seymour, Tsou, Oct., 1913; 

 Urbana, Gibbs, Sept., 1898; Urbana, Clinton, Aug., 1895; Urbana, Mosher, Oct., 

 1913. CHRISTIAN CO. Taylorville, Andrews, July 1, 1898. FULTON CO. Without 

 locality, Pepoon. JO daviess co. Warren, Pepoon 479. mc henry co. Algonquin, 

 Nason, Aug., 1878. peoria co. Peoria, McDonald, Aug., 1887; Peoria, Brendel. 

 ST. CLAIR CO. Mascoutah, Welsch. wabash co. Without locality, Shearer. 



7. LEPTOLOMA Chase 



This genus is represented in North America by a single species. 

 The plants arc perennial with large, open panicles at the ends of brittle 

 culms, the panicles breaking off when the plant is mature and forming 

 tumbleweeds. The spikelets are one-flowered, with a minute first 

 glume. The lemma and palea are thick and leathery. The blades are 

 rather firm with short, membranous ligules. 



