126 PANICACE.E. 



virgatum. Var. macrosperinuni Vasey, Coutrib. U. S. Nat. Herb. 

 3:36(1892). 



Perennial; culms stout, 100-180 cm. high. Ligule a thick 

 ring of short hairs; blades thick, rigid, often involute, smooth or 

 hairy near the ligule, 30-60 cm. long. 5-10 mm. wide. Panicle 

 exserted, smooth, dilfuse, pyramidal, 30-50 cm. long, rays single 

 or in twos or threes, often naked for the lower third. Spikelets 

 smooth, ovate, acute, 8-9 mm. long, first glume over half as long 

 as the spikelet, ovate, acute, 5-7-nerved, second ovate-acute, 

 8-9-nerved ; floral glume of the staminate spikelets nearly as long as 

 the second glume, 5-T-nerved; palea nearly as long as its glume, 

 membranous, ovate when spread, fertile floret smooth, 5 mm. 

 long. 



Mexico, Pr ingle 1124, 



It was first cultivated in S. W. Texas in 1881 by Dr. Havard. 



Texas and Mexico. 



38. P. stenodes Griseb. Fl. W. Ind. 547 (1864). P. ancejys 

 strictum Chapm. Fl. S. States, 573 (1860). 



A tufted slender glabrous erect annual, sparingly branched 

 above, 50-80 cm. high. Blades erect, involute, setaceous, 12-20 

 cm. long. Panicle exserted or the lower partly included, narrow, 

 simple, 4-8 cm. long, with 5-6 slender rays. Spikelets ovate- 

 lanceolate, 2.5 mm. long, first glume one-third to two-thirds as long 

 as the spikelet, acute, 1-nerved, second glume and floral glume of 

 the sterile floret thin, ovate, acute, 5-nerved; palea much shorter 

 than its glume; fertile floret firm, half-terete, oval, obtuse, 1.7 mm, 

 long. 



Texas, Nealleij, U. S. Dept. Agricul. 99; Alabama, Molir. 



Ponds and wet places, Florida to Texas. 



39. P. gibbum Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 1: 116 (1816). 



(kilms slender, branching below, 30-50-90 cm. or even 2 m. 

 high. Blades and sheaths smooth or soft hairy, blade flat, acumi- 

 nate, 7-12 cm. long, 4-12 mm. wide. Panicle close, spikelike 

 above, interrupted below, 8-16 cm. long, 13 mm. diam. Spikelets 

 caducous, each on a short, slender pedicel, oblong, obtuse, or some 

 of the lowest narrower and acute, 3.5 mm. long; first glume about 



