JOINT GRASS. 139 



^ regularly till they become dried, or for two days, when 

 they are placed in a tight vessel and subjected to the 

 fumes of burning sulphur for two hours. 



58. PASPALUM. 



Spikelets spiked, or somewhat racemed, in two or 

 four rows on one side of a flattened rachis, jointed, with 

 thin, short pedicels, awnless, apparently but one- 

 flowered, and differing from Panicum in wanting the 

 lower glume. Stamens three. 



FLOATING PASPALUM (Paspalum fluitans] is a grass 

 found in low swamps from Virginia to Illinois, and 

 southward. Stems smooth, and rooting in the mud 

 or floating. Of no value for cultivation. 



HAIRY SLENDER PASPALUM (Paspalum setaceum) has 

 an erect or decumbent, slender culm, from one to two 

 feet high, leaves and sheaths hairy ; spikes slender, 

 smooth, mostly solitary, on a long peduncle, spikelets 

 narrowly two-rowed. Flowers in August. It is found 

 on sandy fields and plains near the coast, and is rather 

 common from Massachusetts to Illinois, and south- 

 ward. 



SMOOTH ERECT PASPALUM (Paspalum Iceve) is also 

 found on moist soils, from New England to Kentucky, 

 and southward. It has an erect, stout stem, from one 

 to three feet high ; leaves long and large, with smooth 

 or slightly hairy flattened sheaths ; spikelets broadly 

 two-rowed. Flowers in August. 



JOINT GRASS (Paspalum distichum) is common on 

 wet fields in Virginia and southward, flowering in July 

 and August. It grows about a foot high, from a long, 

 creeping base. Spikes short and closely flowered ; 

 rachis flat on the back ; spikelets egg-shaped and slightly 

 pointed. 



