POACEAE 77 



46. Paspalum Kearney! Nash. Stems single, slender, 8-10 dm. tall, compressed : 

 leaf-sheaths compressed, the external basal ones hirsute, as well as sometimes the summit 

 of some of the others ; blades erect, elongated, densely hirsute on both surfaces, long- 

 acuminate, the lower ones 2-3 dm. long, 4-5 mm. wide : racemes about 3, spreading, 3-4 

 cm. long : spikelets broadly obovate, 2.8 mm. long and about 2 mm. wide, barely if at all 

 convex on one side, light green, the 2 outer scales 3-nerved. 



In dry soil, Mississippi. Fall. 



47. Paspalum amplum Nash. Stems tufted, stout, 1-1.5 m. tall, round or but 

 little compressed : leaf-sheaths a little flattened, the outer basal ones hirsute below, the 

 remainder glabrous, excepting a tuft of long hairs at the apex ; blades 2-5 dm. long, 5-10 

 mm. wide, glabrous beneath, pubescent above with short appressed hairs and near the base 

 with very long ones : racemes usually 6-8, erect or ascending, the lower ones commonly 

 8-15 cm. long : spikelets orbicular to oval, about 3 mm. long and 2.5-3 mm. wide, the 

 third scale strongly roughened with conspicuous papillae. 



In wet ground, Florida to Mississippi. Summer. 



48. Paspalum Curtisiauum Steud. Stems stout, 8-10 dm. tall : leaf-sheaths 

 densely papillose-hirsute with long ascending hairs ; blades 1.5-4 dm. long, 5-7 mm. wide, 

 strongly papillose-hirsute, especially above, with long hairs : racemes 5-10, finally spread- 

 ing, 3-8 cm. long : spikelets single or in pairs, lenticular, 2.5-3 mm. in diameter, the 

 2 outer scales glabrous, 3-nerved, the third scale striately roughened with conspicuous 

 papillae. 



In wet places, South Carolina to Florida and Mississippi. Summer. 



49. Paspalum Vaseyanum Scribn. Stems 1-1.5 m. tall, stout : lower leaf-sheaths 

 densely papillose-hispid with ascending hairs ; blades 4 dm. long or less, 8-12 mm. wide, 

 hirsute above at the very base, otherwise glabrous : racemes erect, 10-20, the lower 8-12 

 cm. long : spikelets in pairs, acute, 2.3-2.5 mm. long and about 1.4 mm. wide, the 2 outer 

 scales 3-nerved, acute, pilose on the margins with very long hairs, the surface, especially 

 that of the first scale, pubescent with shorter hairs. 



In fields, Alabama to Texas. Summer and fall. 



50. Paspalum dilatatum Poir. Smooth and glabrous. Stems 5-17 dm. tall, some- 

 what compressed : leaf-blades 3 dm. long or less, 3-12 mm. wide : racemes 5-10 cm. long, 

 erect or ascending, the rachis broadly winged, 1.2-1.5 mm. wide, straight : spikelets in 

 pairs, so densely crowded as to appear as if in 4 rows, 3-3.3 mm. long, 2-2.2 mm. broad, 

 nearly orbicular, apiculate, much compressed dorsally, the 2 outer scales 5-7 -nerved, the 

 first scale ciliate on the margins with very long lax hairs, the second sparingly ciliate with 

 much shorter hairs, the flowering scale white at maturity, orbicular. 



In meadows and moist places, Georgia and Florida to Louisiana. Summer and fall. 



51. Paspalum bifidum (A. Bertol. ) Nash. Glaucous. Stems 7-13 dm. tall, single, 

 from a stout scaly rootstock, its scales strongly appressed-hirsute : leaves mostly at the 

 base of the stem ; sheaths, at least the external basal ones, papillose-hirsute ; blades 3 dm. 

 long or less, generally 5-10 mm. wide, narrowed at both ends, glabrous or but sparingly 

 hirsute beneath, strongly hirsute above toward the base : racemes usually 2 or 3, sometimes 

 more or only 1, 7-15 cm. long, erect, the rachis triangular, slender, the lateral margins 

 not winged : spikelets in rather distant pairs, oval, 3.5-4 mm. long and about 2.5 mm. 

 broad ; scales usually 3 (sometimes 4 and the first one minute), the first scale 7-nerved, the 

 second one 5-nerved. [P. racemulosum Nutt. ] 



In dry pine lands or on wooded hillsides, North Carolina to Florida and Louisiana. Fall. 



52. Paspalum solitarium Nash. Kootstock long and stout, scaly, the scales gla- 

 brous. Stems single, rigid, 6-10 dm. tall (rarely shorter) : leaf -sheaths sometimes pubes- 

 cent on the exterior margin ; blades elongated, stiff, the larger ones often 3-6 dm. long, 

 involute, at least when dry, long-acuminate, glabrous : raceme 1, or rarely 2 racemes, 1-2 

 dm. long, erect : spikelets crowded in pairs on hispid pedicels, glabrous, 3 mm. long and 

 about 1.5 mm. wide, elliptic, the 3 outer scales 3-nerved. [P. monostachyum Vasey, not 

 Walp.] 



In wet soil, southern Florida and Texas. Fall. 



53. Paspalum conjugation Berg. Smooth and glabrous. Stems compressed, 2-9 

 dm. tall, finally decumbent at the base and rooting at the lower nodes : leaf-blades 4-16 

 cm. long, 4-12 mm. wide : racemes in pairs, slender, often curved, spreading or ascending, 

 5-12 cm. long, the rachis straight, or flexuous toward the apex, 0.6-0. 8 mm. broad : spike- 

 lets crowded, much compressed dorsally, singly disposed, 1.5 mm. long, 1-1.2 mm. broad, 

 apiculate, the 2 outer scales 2-nerved, the nerves marginal, the first scale ciliate on the 

 margins with very long lax hairs, the third scale smooth, white. 



In wet places, Louisiana and Texas. Common in all tropical countries. Summer. 



