GENERA OF GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 221 



Our commonest species is Eriochloa acuminata (Presl) Kunth, an 

 annual, 1 to 2 feet tall, with spikelets about 5 mm. long, the fertile 

 lemma apiculate. This is found from Kansas to Texas and Arizona, 

 in open ground, often a weed in cultivated soil. In some books this 

 is called E. polystachya H. B. K., a species described from Ecuador. 

 A West Indian species, E. punctata (L.) Hamilt. (fig. 133), extends 

 into Louisiana and Texas. 



Our species appear to be of no agricultural importance. One 

 species of the West Indies (E. subglabra), called in Porto Rico 

 malojilla, is used for forage. This has been tried along the Gulf 

 coast from Florida to southern Texas, and has given excellent results 

 in southern Florida and at Biloxi, Miss. Carib grass, as it is pro- 

 posed to call this species, is similar in habit to Para grass, producing 

 runners, but less extensively, and is suited to grazing and will 

 furnish a good quality of hay. It will not withstand either cold or 

 drought. 



114. BEACHIABIA (Trin.) Griseb. 



Spikelets dorsally compressed, solitary, rarely in pairs, subsessile, 

 in two rows on one side of a 3-angled, sometimes narrowly winged 

 rachis, the first glume turned toward the axis; first glume short or 

 nearly as long as the spikelet ; second glume and sterile lemma about 

 equal, 5 to 7 nerved, the lemma inclosing a hyaline palea and some- 

 times a staminate flower; fertile lemma indurate, usually papillose- 

 rugose, the margins inrolled, the apex rarely mucronate or bearing a 

 short awn. 



Annual or perennial,, branching and spreading grasses, with linear- 

 blades and terminal inflorescence consisting of several spreading or 

 appressed racemes along a common axis. Species about 15, in the 

 warmer regions of both hemispheres; 3 species in the United 

 States, 2 native along our southern border, 1 introduced. 



Type species : Panicum erucaeforme J. E. Smith. 



Brachiaria Griseb., in Ledeb. Fl. Ross. 4: 469. 1853. Only one species is 

 mentioned, B. crucaeformis. 



From those species of Panicum with spikelets in one-sided spike- 

 like racemes, this genus differs in having the spikelets in the reverse 

 position relative to the rachis, that is, with the first glume toward the 

 rachis. 



The three species, none of which has economic importance, are 

 Brachiaria erucaeformis (J. E. Smith) Griseb., an annual, with 

 pubescent spikelets, occasionally introduced from Europe, B. platy- 

 phylla (Griseb.) Nash (fig. 134), an annual, with glabrous spikelets, 

 growing in Louisiana and Texas, and B. ciliatissima (Buckl.) Chase 

 (Panicum ciliatissimwm Buckl.), a perennial, with silky spikelets, 

 growing in Arkansas and Texas, 



