GRASSES OF IOWA. 



81 



North America. In open woods from Maine and Virginia to Kan- 

 sas, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. 



23. PANICUM LANUGINOSUM. 



Panicum lanugi?wsum Ell. Sk. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 1: 123. 1817. Nash in 

 Britton and Brown. 111. Fl. 3: 498. /. 24a. 1895. 



Panicum Tennesseense Ashe. Jour. E. Mitch. Sci. Soc. 15: 52: 1898. 

 It is not Panicum pubescens Lam. Encycl. 4: 748. 1797. See s-cribner and 

 Merrill. Rhodora. 3: 121. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Hairy Panicum. A slender, finally much-branched perennial, b 

 to 20 inches (12-40 cm.) high, with Hat, erect, and rather thick, nar- 

 rowly lanceolate leaves. Culms erect or assurgent, usually geniculate 

 at the lower joints, branching throughout, especially above, villous or 

 nearly smooth ; nodes bearded ; sheaths 

 shorter than the internodes, densely villous 

 or pilose, with long spreading hairs, very 

 hairy at the throat; ligule a fringe of short 

 hairs; leaf-blades on the primary culm 2 

 to 4 inches (4-8 cm.) long, 3 to 6 lines 

 (6-12 mm.) wide, (th(3se of the branches 

 smaller) very acute, rounded at the base 

 and somewhat clasping ; margins minutely 

 serrulate-scabrous and pilose; surfaces papil- 

 late-pilose with long white hairs, or nearly 

 glabrous. Panicle of the primary culm 

 about 3 inches (b cm.) long, ovate or 

 sub-pyramidal, the spreading branches soli- 

 tary, or in pairs, compound to the base, 

 scabrous or pilose; pedicels equalling or. 

 exceeding the spikelets in length. Panicles 

 of the branches nearly simple and few- 

 flowered, usually partially enclosed within 

 the leaf sheaths. Spikelets 1 line (2 mm.) 

 long, obovate, obtuse ; first glume about 

 one-fourth the length of the spikelet, obtuse 

 or acute ; second and third glumes pubes- 

 cent, prominently seven-nerved ; the third 

 with a rather small palea; fourth glume 

 smooth and shining, broadly obtuse. This 

 grass is common in dry soil, prairies. May 

 to September. 



6 



Fig. 59 — Panicum lanugin- 

 osum. (Charlotte M. King.) 



