GRAMINEAE. 



VOL. I. 



2. Erianthus contortus Ell. Spiral-awned 

 Beard-grass. Fig. 259. 



Erianthus contortus Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. i : 40. 1816. 



Erianthus saccharoides contortus Hack, in DC. Monog. 

 Phan. 6 : 131. 



Culms 3-8 tall; leaf-sheaths smooth or rough, 

 sometimes hirsute at the apex; blades 6'-32' long, 

 2i"-io" wide, smooth or rough; panicle 6'-i6' long, 

 i'-2 wide; spikelets crowded, equalling or exceed- 

 ing the basal hairs, the outer 2 scales 34"-4i" long, 

 pilose with long hairs, the fourth scale 2-cleft at 

 the apex, the teeth long and subulate, the awn ^"-12" 

 long, the included portion spiral at the base, the 

 remainder loosely spiral. 



In moist soil, Delaware ( ?) and Maryland to Florida 

 and Texas. Sept.-Oct. 



3. Erianthus saccharoides Michx. 

 Plume-grass. Fig. 260. 



Erianthus saccharoides Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i : 



55- 1803. 

 Erianthus compactus Nash, Bull. Torr. Club 22 : 



419. 1895. 



Culms robust, erect, 3-io tall, barbed at 

 the nodes, the summit and the axis of the pan- 

 icle densely pubescent with appressed long 

 rigid silky hairs. Sheaths glabrous or spar- 

 ingly hairy below, densely pubescent at the 

 throat with long more or less spreading 

 silky hairs ; blades glabrous or appressed- 

 pubescent, 6'-2 long, i'-i' wide, long-acumi- 

 nate, somewhat narrowed towards the base ; 

 panicle lax, broadly oblong, s'-is' long, 2'~4 

 wide, its branches 2'-^' long, slender; outer 

 scales of the spikelet about 2"-$" long, a little 

 exceeding the pedicel and about one-half as 

 long as the basal hairs, lanceolate, acuminate ; 

 inner scales shorter, the awn lo"-i2" long, 

 straight, scabrous. 



In moist sandy soil, southern New Jersey to 

 Maryland, south to Florida and Texas. Also 

 in Cuba. Aug.-Sept. Gama, or sesame grass. 



4. Erianthus brevibarbis Michx. Short- 

 bearded Plume-grass. Fig. 261. 



Erianthus brevibarbis Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i : 55. 1803. 



Erianthus saccharoides sub-sp. brevibarbis Hack, in D. 

 C. Monog. Phan. 6: 131. 1889. 



Culms stout, erect, 3-5 tall, the nodes naked or 

 scantily barbed, the summit and axis of the panicle 

 smooth or scabrous. Sheaths hirsute at the summit ; 

 blades rough, 6'-i8' long, 3"-5" wide, acuminate; 

 panicle linear-oblong, 8'-i2' in length, i'-ii' wide, 

 the branches erect, 2'-$' long; outer scales of the 

 spikelet 4"~4i" long, twice the length of the pedicel 

 and equalling or twice as long as the basal hairs, 

 lanceolate, long-acuminate ; inner scales shorter, the 

 awn 9"-! 2" long, straight, scabrous. 



In moist soil, Delaware to Florida, thence west to 

 Louisiana. Autumn. 



