120 



GRAMINEAE. 



VOL. I. 



Awns 3 times as long as the spikelets or less ; column straight, rarely geniculate. i. 5. nittans. 

 Awns 4-5 times as long as the spikelets, the column geniculate. 2. S. Elliottii. 



i. Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash. Indian-grass. Fig. 274. 



Andropogon nutans L. Sp. PI. 1045. 1753. 



Andropogon avenaceum Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i : 58. 

 1803. 



Sorghum nutans A. Gray, Man. 617. 1848. 

 Sorghum avenaceum Chapm. Fl. S. States, 583. 1860. 



Chrysopogon avenaceus Benth ; Vasey, Grasses U. 

 S. 20. 1883. 



Sorghastrum nutans Nash, in Small, Fl. SE. U. S>. 

 66. 1903. 



Culms erect, 3-8 tall, smooth, the nodes 

 pubescent; sheaths glabrous, or the lower pubes- 

 cent ; blades 2 or less in length, 2"-8" wide, long- 

 acuminate, scabrous; panicle 4'-i2' long; branches 

 2'-4' long, slender, erect-spreading; spikelets in 

 pairs, or in 3's at the ends of the branches, erect 

 or somewhat spreading; first scale of sessile spike- 

 let 3 "-4" long, acute, pubescent with long hairs ; 

 second scale glabrous; awn 5"-io" long, the 

 column straight. 



In dry fields, Maine to Manitoba, south to Florida 

 and northern Mexico. Aug-Sept. Wood-grass. Bushy 

 blue-stem. Wild oat-grass. 



2. Sorghastrum Elliottii (C. Mohr) Nash. 

 Long-bristled Indian-grass. Fig. 275. 



Sorghum nutans Linnaeanum Hack, in Mart. Fl. 

 Bras. 2 3 : 276. 1883. 



Chrysopogon Elliottii C. Mohr, Bull. Torrey Club 24: 



21. 1897. 

 Sorghastrum Linnaeanum Nash, in Small, Fl. SE. 



U. S. 66. 1903. 

 Sorghastrum Elliottii Nash, N. Am. Fl. 17 : 130. 1912. 



Culms 3-4$ tall ; sheaths smooth and gla- 

 brous; blades ii long or less, up to 5" wide, 

 very rough; panicle 6'-i2' long, the apex usually 

 nodding, its branches erect or nearly so, at least 

 the lower ones much exceeding the internodes of 

 the axis, 2^-3' long, the ultimate divisions 

 straight; spikelets 3"-4" long, lanceolate, deep 

 chestnut brown at maturity, hirsute, the awn 

 i'-ii' long, the column- geniculate. 



In dry soil, Virginia and Tennessee to Florida and 

 Texas. 



9. HOLCUS L. Sp. PL 1047. 1753. 

 [SORGHUM Moench, Meth. 207. 1/94.] 



Annual or perennial grasses with long broad flat leaves and terminal ample panicles. 

 Spikelets in pairs at the nodes, or in 3*5 at the ends of the branches, one sessile and perfect, 

 the others pedicellate, and staminate or empty. Sessile spikelet consisting of 4 scales, the 

 outer indurated and shining, obscurely nerved, the inner hyaline, the fourth awned and sub- 

 tending a small palet and perfect flower, or palet sometimes wanting. Stamens 3. Styles 

 distinct. Grain free. [Name Greek, taken from Pliny.] 



About 10 species, of wide distribution in tropical and warm-temperate regions. Type species: 

 Holcus Sorghum L. 



