GRAMINEA&. 89 



17- SACCOLEPIS Nash. 



A perennial grass with flat leaves and a terminal contracted panicle. Spikelets 

 numerous, readily deciduous when mature, I -flowered, articulated to the pedicel 

 below the empty scales. Scales 4, the outer 3 membranous, the first scale small, 

 the second one much larger than the rest, many-nerved, strongly saccate at the base ; 

 fourth scale much shorter than the third, chartaceous, enclosing a palet of similar 

 texture and a perfect flower. Stamens 3. Styles distinct. Stigmas plumose. 

 Grain free. [Greek, in reference to the large saccate second scale of the spikelet.] 

 Species I, native of the southern U. S. Also in Cuba. 



I. Saccclepis gibba (Ell.) Nash. (I. F. f. 279.) Culms erect from a creep- 

 ing base, 6-18 dm. long, dichotomously branched below. Lower sheaths densely 

 hirsute, the upper generally glabrous; leaves 7.5-17.5 cm. long, 4-20 mm. wide, 

 usually spreading, more or less pubescent; panicle 7.5-22.5 cm. long, dense and 

 contracted; branches 1.22.5 cm. long, erect; spikelets 3-4 mm. long, elliptic, 

 somewhat acute; first scale about one-quarter as long as the spikelet; second scale 

 gibbous at base 1 1 -nerved; third scale about equalling the second, 7-nerved, empty, 

 the fourth one shorter than the second. Swamps, Va. to Tenn., south to Fla. and 

 La. Also in Cuba. July-Sept. (Panicum gib burn Ell.) 



18. CHAETOCHI O.I Scribn. (Setaria Beauv. 1812. Not Ach., 1798.) (See Ap>) 



Mostly annual grasses with erect culms and flat leaves, the inflorescence in 

 spike-like clusters. Spikelets I -flowered, or rarely with a second staminate flower, 

 the basal bristles single or in clusters below the articulation of the rachilla, and 

 therefore persistent. Scales of the spikelet 4, the three outer membranous, the 

 third often subtending a palet and rarely a staminate flower; the inner or fourth scale 

 chartaceous, subtending a palet of similar texture and a perfect flower. Stamens 3. 

 Styles distinct, elongated. Stigmas plumose. Grain free, enclosed in the scales. 

 [Greek, in reference to the bristles of the inflorescence.] Species about 20, in tem- 

 perate and tropical regions. 



Bristles downwardly barbed. i. C. verticillata. 



Bristles upwardly barbed. 



Spike-like inflorescence racemose ; second scale much shorter than the spikelet. 



Annual ; spikelets exceeding 3 mm. long ; upper surface of the lower leaves 



hirsute. 2. C. glauca. 



Perennials ; spikelets less than 3 mm. long ; leaves glabrous. 



Culms tufted ; spikelets nearly 3 mm. long, the second scale usually 5- 



nerved. 3. C. occidentals. 



Culms not tufted ; spikelets 2.5 mm. long, the second scale usually 3-nerved, 



the fourth scale purple, at least at the tip. 4. C. versicolor. 



Spike-like inflorescence paniculate, sometimes nearly racemose in some forms of 



No. 5 ; second scale as long as the spikelet or nearly so. 

 Flowering scales dull, faintly rugose, obtuse, rather thin in fruit. 



Inflorescence 2.5-8.5 cm. long, 1.25 cm. or less thick; spikelets about 2 mm. 



long ; bristles green. 5. C. viridis. 



Inflorescence 1-2 dm. long, 1.25-5 cm - thick; spikelets about 3 mm. long; 



bristles usually purple. 6. C. Italica. 



Flowering scales shining, perfectly smooth, very acute, hard in fruit. 



7. C. magna. 



1. Chaetochloa verticillata (L.) Scribn. FOX-TAIL GRASS. (I. F. f. 280.) 

 Culms erect or decumbent, 3-6 dm. tall. Sheaths glabrous; leaves 5-20 cm. long, 

 scabrous above; spikes 57.5 cm. long; spikelets about 2 mm. long, equalled or 

 exceeded by the downwardly barbed bristles; first scale less than one-half as lonj; 

 as the spikelet, i-nerved; second and third scales 5-7-nerved, equalling the oval 

 fourth one. About dwellings and in waste places. N. S. and Ont. to N. J., Ky. 

 and Neb. Naturalized from Europe. July-Sept. 



2. Chaetochloa glauca (L.) Scribn. YELLOW FOX-TAIL. PIGEON GRASS. 

 (I. F. f. 281.) Culms 3-12 dm. tall. Sheaths glabrous; leaves 5-15 cm. long, 

 pilose above near the base; spikes 2.5-10 cm. long; spikelets 3 mm. long, much 

 shorter than the bristles; fir?t scale i-3-nerved, somewhat shorter than the 5-nerved 

 second; third scale 5-nerved, equalling the fourth, which is V-shaped in cross-sec 

 tion, about twice as long as the second. In waste places and cultivated grounds, 



