180 A TEXT-BOOK OF GRASSES 
215. Axonopus Beauwv—By many authorities this 
group has been included in the genus Paspalum, but it 
forms a distinct natural group. Several species are 
found in tropical America but only 
Fic. 20. Syntherisma sanguinalis. Plant, «14; two 
. views of spikelet, 
2 extend as far north as the United 
States. One of these, A. compressus 
(Swartz) Beauv., is the carpet-grass 
of the Gulf States, where it is an 
important grazing-grass and also a 
lawn-grass. It is a stolonifer- 
ous perennial with flattened 
stems, comparatively short, 
broadly linear, abruptly 
pointed blades, and slender 
spikes more or less digitate or 
clustered at the summit of the 
stem. (Anastrophus Schrad.) 
216. Syntherisma Walt— 
This distinct group is con- 
sidered by some to be a sec- 
tion of Panicum. Perennial or 
annual: grasses with slender 
mostly digitate spike-like 
racemes. The perennial species 
are natives of the southern 
United States and southward 
and are of little importance. 
Most of the an- 
nuals are intro- 
duced from 
. Europe and are 
troublesome 
weeds. One 
