70 



GRASSES OF IOWA. 



DESCRIPTION'. 



Starved Panicum. Densely 

 caespitose, with slender culm, 

 6 to 1 8 inches (12-36 cm.) 

 high, and ver} narrow, long. 

 erect leaves. Culms simple or 

 finally branched near the base, 

 the branches flower bearing ; 

 nodes usually bearded. Sheaths 

 smooth or more or less densely 

 pilose, with soft spreading hairs; 

 ligule a fringe of short hairs; 

 leaf-blade I to 2 lines (2-4 mm.) 

 wide, 3 to 8 inches (6-16 cm.) 

 long, ver)' acute, often involute, 

 at least when dry, scabrous and 

 sometimes pilose, at least near 

 the base. Panicle 1 to 4 inches 

 (2-8 cm.) long, nearly simple, 

 loosely few-flowered, the soli- 

 tary branches ascending or erect 

 and scabrous. Spikelets 1 to 2 

 lines (2-4 mm.) long, usually 

 1 .'i lines (3 mm.), ovate, acutish, 

 smooth ; first glume about one- 

 fourth the length of the second 

 and third, which are prominent- 

 ly 7 to q-nerved and acute, the 

 third with a small thin palea, 

 fourth glume smooth rounded- 

 obtuse, a little shorter than the second and third. Open woodlands and 

 gravelly fields. May to August. 



Fia. 4S\ Panicum depuuperatum— a. b, c, 

 spikelets ; d, palea; e, f, flowering glumes. 

 (Div. of Agros. U. S. Dept. of Agrl.) 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Iowa. Clinton County (Butler) ; Sioux City ( Hitchcock) ; Ames 

 (Bessey, Carver, .Hitchcock); Armstrong, 1058 (Cratty) ; Bloomfield. 

 2138 (Pammel); fowa City (Hitchcock and Macbride). 



North America* From Nova Scotia to Manitoba; Atlantic states 

 south to Florida, Alabama and Texas (Nealley) ; Iowa, Minnesota and 

 Nebraska. 



