110 GRAMINEAE ^GRASS FAMILY ; 



the aods long-pilose^ the very Jiexuous branches often tangled^ the lower usually 

 drooping; spikelets 1.5 min. long, obovate, obtuse, j^apiUose-pilose ; second 

 glume and sterile lemma equal, as long as the fruit. In late summer ascending 

 or spreading with fascicled branches from the lower nodes, the crowded reduced 

 leaves pilose as in the simple state. — Wet meadows, bogs, and wooded swamps, 

 N. B. to Minn., s. to D. C. 



40. P. meridionale Ashe. Differs from the preceding as follows : more 

 slender, not over 4 dm. high ; tipper interuodes and sheaths minutely appressed- 

 pubescent only ; panicles not over 4 cm. long, axis nearly glabrous ; branches 

 ascending or spreading ; spikelets 1.3-1.4 mm. long. The slender culms becom- 

 ing geniculate-decumbent, with slender fascicled branches at all the nodes ; leaves 

 not greatly reduced. (P. filiculme Ashe, not Hack.) — Sandy or sterile woods 

 or clearings, Ct. to Ind., N. C, and Ga. 



41. P. oricola Hitchc. & Chase. Grayish or purplish, densely tufted, spreading^ 

 early branching and prostrate, forming dense mats; culms 1-3 dm. long, appressed- 

 or ascending-pilose, the hairs on the nodes spreading ; sheaths rather loose, 

 appressed-pilose ; ligule 1-1.5 mm. long ; blades 2-5 cm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, 

 firm, erect or ascending ; upper surface covered vjith hairs 3-5 mm. long, becom- 

 ing sparse on the later leaves; lower surface appressed-pubescent, a few long 

 hairs intermixed ; ^awicZes short-exserted, 1.8-3 cm. long, 1-2 cm. wide; spike- 

 lets 1.5 mm. long, rounded-obovoid, very turgid, pubescent with short spreading 

 hairs ; first glume abruptly pointed, ^-^ as long as the equal second glume and 

 sterile lemma, which are barely as long as the fruit. Leaves and panicles not 

 greatly reduced in the branching state. — Sands along the coast, Mass. to Va. — 

 Most readily distinguished by prostrate and early branching habit, and small 

 panicles of rounded spikelets, large in proportion to the panicle. 



42. P. subvill5sum Ashe. Slender, 1-3.5 dm. high, leafy at the base, widely 

 spreading ; culms and sheaths sparsely ascending-pilose ; nodes short-bearded, a 

 glabrous ring below; ligule 1 mm. long, vnth a ring of hairs 3-4 mm. long above 

 it; blades firm, ascending, 4-6 cm. long, 4-6 mm. wide; both surfaces pilose, 

 the hairs on the upper 3-5 mm. long ; ])anicle long-exserted, 3-5 cm. long, rather 

 narrow, the lower branches ascending or appressed, rather densely flowered, axis 

 pubescent or pilose ; spikelets 1.9 mm. long, obtuse, turgid; first glume about 

 ^ as long as the spikelet, acuminate ; second glume and sterile lemma sub- 

 equal, the glume slightly shorter than the fruit. Widely spreading and branched 

 from the lower nodes in autumn ; leaves and panicles not greatly reduced ; leaves 

 less pilose than the earlier ones. (P. unciphyllum, forma pilosum Scribn. & 

 Merr., not P. pilosum Sw.) — Dry woods and sandy ground. Me. to Minn. ; and 

 in n. Ind. 



43. P. tennesseense Ashe. Bright green, often purplish ; culms 2.5-6 dm. high, 

 slender, stifily spreading ; internodes and sheaths papillose-pilose with spreading 

 hairs, or the upper sometimes nearly glabrous ; blades firm, ascending orsuberect, 

 6-9 cm. long, 5-8 mm. wide (upper much smaller), with a thin white carti- 

 laginous margin, often sparsely ciliate at base ; veins conspicuous ; upper surface 

 glabrous or with a few long hairs at the base, appressed-pubescent or nearly 

 glabrous beneath; ligule dense, 4-5 mm. long ; panicle purplish, 4-7 cm. long, 

 nearly as wide, rather densely flowered, the lower branches ascending ; spikelets 

 1.6-1.7 mm. long, obtuse, turgid; first glume about \ as long as the spikelet, 

 glabrous ; second glume shorter than the fruit at maturity. Autumnal state widely 

 spreading or decumbent and with numerous fascicled branches as long as or longer 

 than the primary internodes ; leaves much reduced, usually ciliate at base. — 

 Open rather moist ground and wood-borders, Me. to Mich., s. to N. C. and Tex. 

 44. P. lanuginbsum Ell. Grayish olive-green, velvety-villous all over ; culms 

 4-6 dm. high, slender, spreading ; leaves 5-10 cm. long (uppermost much smaller), 

 thickish but not stiff, margins sometimes papillose-ciliate, long soft hairs inter- 

 mixed with the velvety pubescence on the upper surface ; ligule 3-4 mm. long ; 

 panicle 5-11 cm. long, about as wide, loosely flowered, the filiform branches 

 finally wide -spreading ; spikelets 1.8 mm. long, obovate-elliptic, obtuse, villous 

 with soft spreading hairs ; first glume \ as long as the spikelet ; second glume and 

 sterile lemma equal, slightly shorter than the subacute fruit. Decumbent and 



