POACEAE. 11 



4. S. marginatum (Link) Nash. Stems 8 dm. long or less: leaf -blades 2-8 

 cm. long, 5-10 mm. wide, glabrous or pubescent on both sides: axis of the 

 inflorescence 2 cm. long or less: racemes 2-9, 2-12 cm. long, alternate, in pairs 

 or whorled: spikelets 3-3.5 mm. long, about 0.8 mm. wide, lanceolate, slenderly 

 acute, in pairs. — Hammocks, L. keys, L. S. keys. — [E. K.] — (Ber., Bah. Ant.) 



8. VALOTA Adans. Perennial grasses with narrow or contracted densely 

 hairy panicles. Spikelets lanceolate, acute or acuminate. Scales 4, the outer 

 3 membranous, empty, the second and usually also the much shorter first 

 densely silky-pilose or long-ciliate on the margins, often acuminate, and some- 

 times with a short bristle at the apex, the fourth scale shorter, chartaceous, 

 glabrous and shining, finally indurated. 



1. V. insularis (L.) Chase. Stems 1-1.5 m. tall: leaf -blades 1-3 dm. long, 

 generally 5-20 mm. wide: panicle usually 2-3 dm. long, 1-2 cm. wide: spikelets 

 4-5 mm. long, long-acuminate; fruiting scale chestnut-brown, lanceolate, with 

 a long-acuminate green tip. — Hammocks and cultivated grounds, U. keys, L. 

 keys. — [E. K.] — {Ber., Bah., Citba, Ant.) 



9. ECHINOCHLOA Beauv. Erect plants with the inflorescence of 

 several-many spike-like racemes. Spikelets crowded in small clusters or racemes 

 in 2 rows on all sides of the flat rachis. Scales 4, the 3 outer membranous, 

 spiny-hirsute or hispid, the first one often awn pointed, the second and third 

 awn-pointed or awned (rarely awnless), the latter bearing the longer awn, the 

 fourth scale chartaceous, glabrous and shining, at length indurated. 



1. E. Crus-galli (L.) Beauv. Stems 6-12 dm. tall: leaf -blades 1.5-6 dm. long, 

 6-25 mm. wide, glabrous: panicle of 5-15 erect or ascending branches, or the 

 lower branches spreading or reflexed and sometimes 6-8 cm. long: spikelets 

 ovate, densely crowded in 2-4 rows on one side of the rachis, the second and 

 third scales awned, the fourth scale abruptly pointed. — Hammocks and culti- 

 vated grounds, U. keys, L. keys. — [E. K.] — (Ber., Bah., Cuba, Ant.) — Barn- 

 yard-grass. 



10. OPLISMENUS Beauv. Creeping plants with broad flat leaf-blades 

 and an inflorescence composed of spikes, bearing on the lower side scattered 

 clusters of a few spikelets. Scales 4, the 3 outer membranous, the first and 

 second awned, the third usually awned, the fourth one shorter than the others, 

 obtuse, awnless, chartaceous, finally indurated. 



1. O. hirtellus (L.) E. & S. Stems prostrate, rooting at the nodes: leaf -blades 

 ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 1.5-6 cm. long: panicle 2-8 cm. long, its 

 short branches erect to spreading: spikelets 2.5-3 mm. long, the longer awns 

 6-8 mm. long. — Hammocks, U. keys. — [E. K.] — (Ber., Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



11. PANICUM L. Erect, or diffuse herbaceous plants varying much in 

 habit, with elongate or broad leaf-blades, and the spikelets in open or con- 

 tracted panicles. Spikelets 1-2-flowered, lanceolate, oblong, ovate to obovate 

 or globose, obtuse to acute or acuminate. Scales 4, the 3 outer membranous, 

 the first and second empty, the first usually much shorter than the spikelet, 

 sometimes minute, the third one empty or enclosing a shorter hyaline palet and 

 often also a staminate flower, the fourth scale shorter and usually more obtuse 

 than the others, chartaceous, glabrous and shining, at length indurated, enclos- 

 ing a palet of similar texture and a perfect flower. — Paxic-grass. 



