358 Bulletin No. 205 [March, 



to 5 inches long, 1 to 3 mm. wide; panicle usually purplish, with 



spreading, capillary, whorled, very scabrous branches spikelet-bearing 



at the tips; spikelets 1.5 to 2 mm. long. 



This species was very abundant on the prairies, especially in the 



poorer kinds, of soil. It prefers dry soil and is usually found now in 



uncultivated fields, pastures, and woodland. The panicles are usually 



very large, somewhat resembling those of Panicum capillare and like 



them break off at maturity and roll before the wind. 



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

 Seymoiir, July, 1880. cook co. Chicago, Babcock, July, 1873; Chicago, Kill 23 

 in 1891. JO DAVIESS co. Without locality, Pepoon 177. johnson co. Tunnel 

 Hill, SchnecTc, May, 1902. kankakee co. Hill, May, 1870. mchenry co. Eing- 

 wood, Vasey. macoupin co. Carlinville, Boiertson, June, 1882. marion co. 

 Without locality, Lapham; Salem, M. S. Behb in 1860. Marshall co. Steuben 

 township, V. H. Cha^e 1785. peoria CO. Peoria, McDoiuild; Peoria, Brendel. 

 ST. CLAIR CO. Maseoutah, Welsch. stark co. Wady Petra, V. H. Chase 56, 

 1200, 1442. WABASH CO. Without locality, SchnecTc, June, 1901 ; without locality, 

 Shearer; Mt. Carmel, SchnecTc, June, 1904; vicinity of Mt. Carmel, ScTmecTc in 

 1879, 1881, and 1890, 



AgTostis perennans (Walt.) Tuckerm. 

 Thin Grass (Figs. 170 and 171) 



Brendel '59, 585; Vasey '61, 671; Babcock '73, 96; Patterson '76, 49; Flagg 

 '78, 280; Brendel '87, 63; Higley and Eaddin '91, 142; Sherff '12, 49; Sherff 

 '13, 594. 



Culms usually very slender, erect or ascending from a decumbent 

 base ; sheaths smooth, blades rough, 2 to 6 inches long, 2 to 6 mm. wide, 

 numerous, mostly erect; panicle variable, usually narrow and not 

 spreading, pale green or sometimes purplish ; the branches usually not 

 whorled and not having the spikelets clustered at the ends, capillary 

 and slightly roughened ; spikelets 2 to 3 mm. long. 



This species is exceedingly variable in its habit of growth, so that 



it is difficult to state definitely the differences between this species and 



A. Jiyemalis. In general, however, they are very easily distinguished. 



A. perennans grows in shady places and blooms mostly from August to 



October, while A. Jiyemalis blooms from May to July. 



ILLINOIS SPECIMENS: Without locality, Vasey. champaign co. Champaign, 

 Gleason, Sept., 1898; Urbana, Clinton, Sept., 1899 and Oct., 1895. cook CO. 

 Evanston, Shipman, Sept., 1875; Winnetka, Sherff 1915. fulton co. Canton, 

 Wolf ; Canton, Brendel. peoria CO. Princeville, V. H. Chase 1186 ; Peoria, Bren- 

 del; Peoria, McBonqld, Aug., 1899. st. clair co.~ Maseoutah, Welsch. union 

 CO. Cobden, Seymour, Aug., 1880. wabash CO. Without locality. Shearer, Oct., 

 1901; Hanging Rock, ScTmecTc; Crayfish creek, ScTmecTc, Oct., 1897; Mt. Carmel, 

 SchnecTc, Sept., 1877. 



28. CALAMOVILFA Hack. 



These are tall, reed-like grasses which have long, stout rootstocks. 

 They are found mostly on the sandy shores of lakes and streams. The 

 large, spreading panicles are composed of one-flowered spikelets with 

 firm glumes, lemma, and palea, the callus densely bearded. 



