PASPALUM LIVIDUM Tiin. 



P^rtn^ perennial, coarse, suniinvhat tufted on a short rootstofk. 



Chdms few in a ]il;u'(', ci^'cl, or (Iccunilii'ut, i^cniculalc hclcjw. solid, terete, 2 to 

 .'! feet tall. 



Leace.s; radical mostly scarions; of cidm li to it; slicatlis ('(jualinL;' or exceeding 

 internode. loose, often compressed and opia. lower oue-; often pnbescent; blade.s 

 rtat, hispid above and below toward the tip, '■> lines wide. •.' to ij inches long; ligule 

 a tawny, lacerate, memhranaeeous fringe, i line long, deciirrent. 



Inflorescence a racemose panicle of 4 to S approximate spikes, alternate oii the 

 flattened axis, 2 to 4 inches long; spikes tmilateral. sessile. 1 to ll inches long; 

 racliis flat and smooth, \ line wide, usually purplish. 



iSpikelets crowded, usually in 4 rows, sessile or o>i short pedicels, oblanceolate, 

 rtattish, 1-flowered, 1 to \\ lines hmg; first glume broadly ovate, acute, slightly 

 convex, slightly i"oughened on back. :j-nerved, lateral nerves marginal and joining 

 midnerve at apex. 1 line long; second glume same but flat and slightly smaller; 

 floral glume, ind^irated, round on back, with inrolled margins, very obscurely 

 :!-nerved, | lim; long; i)alet broadly oval, indurated, nearly flat, with irregular, 

 hyaline margins below enfolding the seed, obscurely "^-nerved, nearly 1 line long. 



Gniin; a careful search through IS specimens produced but one perfect grain 

 and that immature, but old enough to show the foi'm, obovate. rounded, flattened 

 on both sides | line long. 



Pl.\te IV; II, first empty glume; /', second emi)ty glume; r, llorai glume, 

 stamens, and pistil; J. pa let. \-entral \iew, with two membranaceous lol)es turned out. 



Found in southwestern Texas; common in Mexico. 



