GRAMINEAE (GRASS FAMIL5f) 113 



♦- 8. Ensifblia. — Dclkate, dou^eln Ui/led, mostly (jlahrous ; apikelets not over 



IJ} mm. lojig ■ liyule obsolete. 



54. P. ensifolium Baldw. C'ulius 2-:3.5 dm. high, glabrous, ascending or 

 spreading, /rom dense tufts of ascending basal leaves ; these 3-7 cm. long., 4-5 mm. 

 wide, remaining green throughout the summer ; sheaths glabrous, much shorter 

 than the long internodes ; culm-blades 0.7-2 cm. long. 1-2 mm. wide., spreading, 

 usually puberulent beneath; panicle 1.5-3 cm. long, nearly as wide, rather few- 

 flowered ; spikelets 1.5 mm. long, obovate-elliptic, turgid at maturity, densely 

 puberulent; second glume slighcly shorter than the obtuse fruit. Branching 

 from the upper nodes in the aiuumnal state, culms usually decumbent, branches 

 short, not very numerous. (P. Brittoni Nash.) — Borders of cranberry bogs, 

 s. N. J., and low pine lands south w. 



P. TENUE Muhl. (P. unciphyllum Trin. ; P. albo-marginatum Nash) has been 

 collected in the Great Dismal ISwamp, Va. {Chase). This is characterized by 

 the larger and firmer leaves clustered at the base of the culms and having, 

 especially when dry, conspicuous cartilaginous white margins. 



t~ 9. Sphaerocdrpa. — Rather stout, glabrous; blades firm, cordate at base, 

 scabrous on dipper surface, margins cartilaginous; ligule nearly obsolete; 

 spikelets obov old- spherical, puberulent ; second glume and sterile lemma 

 1-nerved, equaling fruit at maturity. Sparingly branched or nearly simple 

 in autumn. 



55. P. sphaerocarpon Ell. Dull green ; culms 2-5.5 dm. high, usually widely 

 spreading, nodes appressed-pubescent ; sheaths nearly as long as the internodes 

 or overlapping, loose toward the summit, ciliate on the margin ; 



blades 6-10 cm. long, 7-14 mm. wide (uppermost smaller^, thick, 

 ascending, stiff-ciliate toward the base, nerves inconspicuous; 

 panicle long-exserted, 5-10 cm. long, nearly as vnde, rather 

 loosely flowered, loith viscid spots on the axis and ascending 

 branches ; spikelets usually purple, 1.6-1.8 mui. long ; fruit china- 65. P. sphaero- 

 white. Sparingly branching from the lower nodes late in the carpon. Spike- 

 season ; leaves and panicles not much reduced. — Sandy ground, let x 5. 

 Mass. to Kan., and southw. Fig. 65. 



56. P. polyanthes Schultes. Light green, erect; culms 3-9 dm. high, nodes 

 glabrous ; sheaths very long, usually overlapping, margin finely ciliate ; blades 

 12-23 cm. long, 1.5-2.5 cm. xcide (uppermost not smaller), strongly nerved, 

 ciliate toward the base ; panicle 8-25 cm. long, not more than half as wide, 

 densely flowered, lower branches nearly erect, often distant; spikelets green, 

 1.5-1.6 mm. long ; fruit stramineous. Culms simple or very sparingly 

 branched from the lower or middle nodes late in the season. (P. micro- 

 carpon Muhl. Gram., not Ell.)— Damp ground, w'oods and openings, N. Y. 

 to I. T., and southw. 



•t- 10. Commutata. — Stout, erect, glabrous or puberident only ; leaves cordate, 

 over 1 cm. wide {sometimes less in P. Ashei) ; ligule nearly obsolete ; panicles 

 open, loosely flowered ; spikelets oblong or elliptic, not turgid, pubescent, 

 2.6-3 mm. long ; second glume and sterile lemma strongly 1-nerved. 



57. P. commutatum Schultes. In large or small clumps ; culmsA-1 .b&m. high, 

 usually stiff, erect and glabrous, nodes puberulent ; sheaths glabrous or puberu- 

 lent toward the summit, a pubescent ring at the junction with the blade, margin 

 ciliate; blades rather firm, spreading or ascending, 5-12 cm. long, 1.2-2 cm. 

 wide (rarely longer or wider), glabrous on both surfaces (rarely puberulent), 

 margins ciliate toward the base ; panicle 6-11 cm. long, as wide or wider ; spike- 

 lets 2.6-2.8 mm. long, oblong-elliptic, obtuse ; second glume and sterile lemma 

 equal, barely covering the minutely umbonate fruit. In autumnal state culms 

 ascending or spreading, with somewhat divaricate simple branches from the 

 middle nodes; the leaves crowded but hardly reduced. (P. subsimplex Ashe.) 

 ■ — Woods and copses, Del. to Fla., w. to 111. and Tex. 



58. P. Ashei Pearson. Usually purplish, in loose clumps from a knotted 

 crown; culms 2.5-5 dm. high, erect, stiff, wiry, densely crisp-puberulent ; sheaths 



gray's MANUAL 8 



