GRAMINACE^. 423 



Woods and meadows. Can. and N. Y. July, Aug. r l\.. Culm 36 feet 

 high, erect, simple, smooth. Leaves broad-linear, smooth beneath, roughish 

 above. Panicle oblong, 6 10 inches in length. Common Millet-grass. 



2. M. amphicarpon Pursh : leaves linear-lanceolate, hairy, ciliate ; pan- 

 icle simple, contracted, bearing staminate flowers; fertile flowers on solitary 

 elongated radical scapes, at length subterraneous. M. ciliatum Muhl. 



Sandy Swamps. N. J. Aug., Sept. 1\-. Culms numerous, 1 2 feet high, 

 assurgent. Panicle appressed. Glumes acuminate. This species is well 

 figured by Pursh. Fringed Millet-grass. 



10. DIGITARIA. Scop. Finger Grass. 



(From the Latin digitus, a. finger ; the spikes being digitate or finger-like.) 

 Spikelets unilateral, in pairs, on short bifid pedicels. Glumes 



mostly 2-valved ; lower valve very small, sometimes wanting. 



Lower flower abortive ; paleae single, membranaceous. Upper 



flower perfect ; paleae 2, coriaceous, nearly equal, lance-oblong. 



Spikes linear, digitate or fasciculate. 



1. D. sanguinolis Scop.: leaves and sheaths somewhat hairy; spikes 

 numerous, fascicled, somewhat spreading ; spikelets oblong, in pairs ; flow- 

 ers pubescent on the margin. Panicum sanguinale Linn. 



Cultivated grounds. Can. to Car. Aug. Oct. . Culm 12 18 inches 

 long, decumbent or assurgent. Leaves lanceolate, sometimes undulate on the 

 margin. Spikes usually ^4 6, sometimes 8 9, becoming purple ; rachis flex- 

 uous. Hairy Finger-grass. Crab-grass. 



2. D. glabra R. (f* S. : leaves and sheaths smooth ; spikes digitate, some- 

 what alternate, (3 4,) spreading ; spikelets ovoid, crowded ; lower glume 

 almost wanting, upper as long as the abortive flower, both hairy. Pani- 

 cum glabrum Gaud. Torr. (Torr. N.Y. Fl.} 



Sandy fields. N. Y. to Virg. Aug., Sept. (]j.Culm about a foot long, 

 mostly decumbent. Leaves sometimes very slightly hairy. Spikes mostly 3, 

 about 2 inches long. Probably introduced. Smooth Finger-grass. 



3. D.filiformis Beauv. : culm filiform, erect ; leaves short; lower sheaths 

 very hairy; spikes 2 4, filiform, alternate and opposite ; spikelets in twos 

 and threes, all pedicellate, elliptic-oblong ; glume l-valved, as long as the 

 abortive flower, pubescent. Panicum filiforme Linn. 



Sandy fields. N. Y. to Geor. Aug. (>. Culm 12 feet high, very slen- 

 der. Leaves 1 2 inches long, sometimes a little hairy. Spikes mostly 2, 

 ] 2 inches long ; rachis rough, flexuous. Slender Finger-grass. 



11. PANICUM. Linn. Panic Grass. 



(Said to be derived from the Latin panis, bread; the grain of some species 

 being used for food.; 



Spikelets 2-flowered, naked. Glumes 2, unequal, membrana- 

 ceous, concave. Lower flower of one or two paleae, staminate or 

 neutral, membranaceous. Upper flower perfect ; the paleae 2, 

 coriaceous, nearly equal, concave. Stamens 3. Spikelets in 

 loose or somewhat racemose panicles. 



