GRAMINEAE 381 



FILIFORM PANICUM. 



Culm I to 2 feet high. Leaves 3 to 6 inches in length, slightly hairy; lower 

 sheaths hairy, upper ones smooth. Spikes 1 to 3 inches long, usually 2 or 3 in 

 number ; spikelets in twos, or threes, on pedicels of different length. 

 Uab. Sandy fields, and roadsides. Nat. of the South. Fl. Aug. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. This is said, in the books, to be a native of our Southern 

 Country ; but I suspect it is a stranger, here. 



2. PANICUM proper : Spikelets scattered in panicles. 



a. Sterile floret neutral, f Panicle elongated ; spikelets racemose. 



* Neutral floret with 2 paleae. 



4. P. anceps, MX. Culms ancipital; spikelets ovate-lanceolate, 

 acuminate, with the point a little curved ; upper glume 7-nerved. 

 TWO-EDGED PANICUM. 



Perennial. Culm 2 to 4 feet high, smooth, somewhat geniculate at hase. Leaves 

 1 to 2 feet long, keeled, hairy on the upper surface ; ligvle obsolete. Panides 

 terminal and lateral ; branches erect ; spikelets somewhat secund, in interrupted 



Hub. Fields, and meadows : frequent. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



5. P. agrostoides., Sprengel. Culms compressed ; leaves elon- 

 gated; panicles pyramidal; spikelets ovate-oblong, acute; upper 

 glume 5-nerved. 

 AGEOSTIS-LIKE PANICUM. 



Perennial. Culm 1 to 3 feet high. Leaves 6 to 15 inches long, usually forming 

 a large tuft at the root, smooth; ligvle very short, truncate. Panicles mostly 

 dark purple, terminal and lateral, the lateral ones on long compressed peduncles ; 

 branches slightly flexuose, finally spreading horizontally ; spikelets in somewhat 

 eecund racemes, crowded, on short pedicels, often with slender setaceous bracts at 

 base. 

 Hob. Moist meadows ; borders of swamps : frequent. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



* * Neutral floret with a single palea. 



G. P proliferum, Lamarck. Smooth; culms rather stout 

 and succulent, geniculate, ascending, or procumbent; spikeleta 

 lance-oval, appressed. 

 PROLIFEROUS PANICUM. 



Annual. Culms 1 to 2 feet long, branching. Leaves 3 to 12 inches long ; sheaths 

 loose ; ligvle, ciliate. Panicles terminal and lateral, spreading ; branches straight, 

 scabrous ; spikelets pale green ; lower glume short and broad, clasping, upper one 

 7-nerved, acute. 

 Hob. Wet meadows ; roadsides : frequent. Fl. Sept. Fr. Octo. 



ff Panicle capillary, large and loose; neutral floret with a single palea. 



7. P. capillare, L. Sheaths hirsute ; panicle-branches finally 

 divaricate ; spikelets lanceolate, acuminate. 

 HAIR-LIKE PANICUM. Old-witch Grass. 



Annual. Culm 6 inches to 1 or 2 feet high, rather erect, often branching. 

 Leaves 3 to 10 inches in length, lance-linear, hairy ; ligule beard-like. Panicle 6 to 

 12 inches long, pyramidal ; spikelets small, on long hispid peduncles, often purple, 

 06. Sandy grounds ; Indian-corn fields, &c. : common. Fl. Aug. Fr. Sept. 



