16 . TRIANDRIA. DIGYNIA. 



53. PANICUM. Nutt. Gen. 79. 

 [Lnt. Panfcu/a, a mode of flowering; or Pants, bread; from the use made of seme species.] 



Flowers loosely or densely paniculate: Male, or Neut. sessile; valves unequal, often but 1, minute. 

 Hekjiaph. Cal. 2 valved; outer -/alve very small. Cor. 2 valved, cartilaginous, persistent. 



§ 1. Flowers loosely paniculate. 



P. CAPiLLARE. Mx. Panicle capillary, much branched; flowers pedicellate; leaves and sheaths hirsute. 

 Fl. Eeginning of August. Ft- mat. Latter end of September. 



Ilab. Dry, sandy grounds; pastures, cornfields, &c. common. 1 to 2 feet high. 



Obs. In the fall of the year, the dry culms break off, and the panicles are rolled over the fields in great , 

 numbers, by the winds. .'' 



P. LATiFOLiUM. Ell. Lateral racemes simple; leaves ovnte-lanceolate; sheaths hairy at throat. 

 Fl. Middle of June, and after. Fr. mat. Beginning of August and after. 



JIab. Meadows, ditch banks, roadsides, &c. common. 9 to 18 inches high. 



P. NERVOSUM. Muhl. Panicle-branches flexuose; glumes nerved; leaves lanceolate, ciliate at base. 



Fl. Middle of June. Fr. mat. Latter end of July. 



JIab. Dry hills, and woodlands: frequent. 1 to 2 feet high. 



P. ciUATUM. EIL Panicle few flowered; leaves short, lanceolate, and, with the sheaths, handsomely ciliate, 



Fl. Beginning of June. Fr. mat. Beginnmg of July. 



Eab. Woodlands, &c. frequent. 8 to 15 inches high. 



P. PAXTCiFLORUM ? Ell. Paniclc few flowered; leaves narrow-lanceolate; sheaths short, bearded at thraoaf 

 Fl. Latter end of June Fr. mat. Latter end of July. 



JIab. Woodlands: Lovell'sSO acre woods: frequent. 12 to IS inches high. 



Obs. This is a very slender species, somewhat resembling P. ciliatum in habit; but much less hairy, with' 

 narrower leaves, and the sheaths scarcely half the length of the joints. 



P. DiCHOTOMUM. Ell. Stem dichotomous above; branches fasciculate; leaves linear-lanceolate, divaricate 



Syiion. p. ramulosum? J\lx. 



Fl. flliddle of July. Fr. mat. Latter end of August. 



Hub. Barren ridge, in the borders of the woods; abundant. 1 to 2, and 3 feet high. 



Obs. This olant varies very much in size and appearance; and when large, is procumbent. I have no 

 doubt it is the P. dichotomum of Ell. Pursh, and IMuhl.— and probably the P. ramulosum ol Mx.— though 

 Mr. Elliott, I observe, supposes otherwise. 



p. sTRiCTUM. Ph. Panicle solitar}-, short; glumes obovate, turgid; leaves crowded, erect, pungent. 



Synov. P. setaceum. Muhl. 



Fl. Lattprend of July. Fr. mat. Latter end of August. 



JIab. Sterile spots: R. Strodes; Barrens: frequent. 12 to 18 inches high- 



P. iMPAUPERATUM. JMuhl. Stem simple: Upper leaf elongated; sheath pilose; calyx valvcs ncrTcd. 



Fl. Beiiip.ning of June. Fr. mat. Middle of July. 



JJab. Barren ridge, North of E. Wovthington's; abundant. About a foot high. 



^2. Flowers in dense panicles, racemes, or spikes. 



p. AGRosToiriES. Mahl, Stem compressed; leaves lanceolate, keeled; panicles terminal and lateral. 



jP/. Beginning of August. i'V. 7Maf.- Middle of September. 



Jfab. Moist, low grounds: Bath; Patton's low grounds: freqaent. About 2 feet high. 



Obs. Dr. Baldwin thought this would prove to be nothing more than a variety of P. rosiratum; though, 

 I confess, to me it seems pretty distinct. 



P. RosTRATXTM. 3Iuhl. Stem ancipita! ; leaves long; panicle erect; flowers racemose; glumes rostrate. 



Synon. P. anceps. M:v. Ell. and Ph. 



Fl. Beginning of August. Fr. mat. Beginning of September. 



Ilab. Fields, and meadows: common. 3 to 4 feet high. 



P. CRrs GALLi. Pk. Spikes alternate, and by pairs; glumes hispid, awned; rachis 5 angled- 



i^/. Middle of August. f',-. wwi- Last of September. 



Hab. Wet, low grounds, and meadows; drains of Barnyrtrds,&c. common; 2 to 5 feet high. 



Obs We have al! the varieties notu-.ed by Pursh. This is a coarse, rank grass, and very worthless. 

 Indeed, none of the foregoing species are considered of any value, m an agricultural pomt ol view. 

 CtC|» For P. Mu.iACEL'M, or Millet, see appendix of cultivated plant*. 



