16 POACEAE. 



Stem leafy almost to 

 the panicle. the 



leaves usually 3. 22. P. tnfuliiun. 



Leaf-blades without thick 



white margins. U". l'.,n{foliun 



Pplkelets exceeding l' mm. In length. 

 Blades of the primary leaves 

 elongate, broadly linear, often 

 2 dm. long and 1.5 cm. wide, 

 spreading. i>. 



Blades of the primary leaves 



lanceolate, 

 Rounded or truncate at the 



base, 

 Clllate, at least on the 



lower half. 17. /. Xaahlanum. 



Ecillate, or sometimes with 

 few hairs at the 

 very base. 



Leaf-blades spreading : 

 first scale Yi as long 

 as the splkelet, acute. 27. 

 Leaf-blades erect : first 



scale V 4 -Vi as long as 

 the splkelet, rounded 



at the apex. 18. P, 



Cordate at the base. ::. /'. >nuniit<it\iin. 



tt Leaf-sheaths pubescent with long hairs. 



Spikelets over 2.5 mm. long : fruits over 



2 mm. long. -." /'. <-iliifi rum. 



Splkelets less than 2.5 mm. long : fruits less 



than 2 mm. long. 26. I'. t>*< inl/i/mlx'sccnt. 



Middle leaf-blades of the main stem more tli.-m 

 1.5 cm. wide, sometimes 3-4 cm. in width. 

 the base cordate and clasping. 

 Stems finally much branched and prostrate, 



forming large mats: splkelets very acute. '.'ii. /'. nnmatcnte. 



Stems erect, even in the late state, sparingly 



branched: splkelets obtuse or acutlsh. 30. P. commtitiiimn. 



1. P. molle 8w. Sterile stems 1-2 in. long or less, rooting at the nodes, the 

 fertile stems erect, 6-10 dm. tall or more, the nodes densely barbed: leaf- 

 often overlapping, papillose-hirsute: blades 1-3 dm. long, glabrous or 

 ride: pai 



ascending: spikelets about 3 mm. long, glabrous. Pinelands and roadsides. 

 Nat. from tropical America. (Ber., Bah., Ant. 



pubescent, 7-15 mm. wide: panicle 1.5-2 dm. long, its branches spreading or 



ro 

 .) 



2. P. paludivagtim Hitchc. & Chase. Stems 6-12 dm. long: blades 2.5 dm. 

 long or less, 6-10 mm. wide: racemes 10-20, the rachis broadly winged, ap- 

 preased, 2-3.5 cm. long: spikelets ovate, acute, glabrous. Everglades. (Ber., 

 Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



3. P. hemitomon Schult. Stems from stout rootstocks, 6-12 dm. tall or more: 

 blades 3 dm. long or less, 6-12 mm. wide: racemes 6-20, appressed, 4-10 cm. 

 long, the rachis barely if at all winged: spikelets with the scales prominently 

 nerved, the fourth scale smooth. Everglades. MAIDKN-CANE. 



4. P. adspersum Trin. Annual: stems 4-6 dm. tall: leaf-blades 2 dm. long or 

 less, 1.5-2 cm. wide, glabrous: panicle 1-2 dm. long: spikelets usually borne in 

 pairs, green, glabrous or pubescent. Hammocks and cultivated grounds. 

 (Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



6. P. Bartowense Scribn. Mer. Annual: stems erect, commonly 1 m. tall or 

 lets, or much branched and decumbent: leaf -sheaths pubescent; blades i! 7 <!m. 

 long, 6-28 mm. wide: panicle 1.5-4.5 dm. long: spikelets 2.5-3 mm. long, 

 glnl.nius, acuminate. Everglades. (Bah.) 



6. P. tenerum Berg. Perennial, glabrous, except the sometimes pubescent 

 lower leaf sheaths: items erect, 3-8 dm. tall: leaf-blades erect, involute when 

 dry, 1.5 dm. long or less, 1-1.5 mm. wide: panicle narrow, 3-15 cm. long: 

 spikelets about 2.5 mm. long, lanceolate, acute. Everglades. (Baft., Cuba.) 



