WIS] The Grasses of Illinois 313 



appi'cs.sc'd ; .shcatlis usually as long as the internodcs, less pubescent 

 than the culms, eiliatc on the margin; ligulcs 1 to 

 1.5 nun. long; blades with a thin, white margin, 1.5 

 to 3 inches long, 4 to 7 mm. Avidc, usuall.y nmooth 

 above, sometimes with a few long hairs near the 

 l)ase; spikelets pubescent, 1.8 to 1.9 mm. long. 

 Autumnal form spreading on the ground and 



Pj gj p ^^^j. branching from the lower and middle nodes, the 



gctorum, spikelet branches growing erect or ascending, not closely 

 appressed to the culm; blades only slightly re- 

 duced, sometimes sparsely covered with long hairs. 



This species is found in dry, sandy soil, usually in the woods. The 

 type specimen was collected in a hemlock grove. The plants in spring 

 are bluish green ; later they often acquire a purplish tinge. The spike- 

 lets are usually dark colored. The general appearance of this species 

 is like that of P. Imacliucae silvicola. 



LA SALLE CO. Starved Rock, A. Chase 1604; Starved Rock, Greenman, Lans- 

 ing, and Dixon 155. ogle go. Oregon, Hill in 1905. 



SPHAEROCARPA 



The species belonging to this group are usually found in small 

 tufts and are practically smooth thruout. The ligules are obsolete or 

 nearly so. The blades are rather stiff with strong margins, which are 

 usually very rough. The panicles are usually about the length of the 

 leaves, and are borne well above them in the spring form. This 

 group is so named on account of the shape of the spikelets, which are 

 almost spherical. 



Panicum polyanthes Schult. 

 (Figs. 82 and 83) 



Hitchcock and Chase '10, 254. 



Vernal form with culms in a tuft 1 to 3 feet tall ; culms stout, 

 erect, smooth, scarcely ever with hairs on the nodes ; sheaths as long as 

 the internodes, smooth, ciliate on the margin ; ligules too small to be 

 distinguished ; blades 5 to 10 inches long, 15 to 25 mm. wide, rough on 

 the upper surface and smooth on the lower, except for a few hairs 

 along the margin near the base; panicles much longer than broad; 

 spikelets 1.5 to 1.6 mm. long, nearly spherical, short pubescent. 

 Autumnal form much like the vernal except that a few branches with 

 smaller blades and panicles are produced from the loAver nodes. 



The species listed as P. microcarpon by Lapham ( '57, 548, 595) 

 was probably P. polyanthes. The name P. microcarpon Muld. 1817, 

 not Muhl. ; Ell. 181G, was then applied to the species now known as 

 P. polyanthes (Hitchcock and Chase '10, 255). This species is found 

 in damp places, usually in or near the woods. It is much taller than 



