132 PANICAC'E.E. 



Arizona, Pritujh'. 



Var. avenaceum (II. U. K.). /'. (wpnareum II. H. K. Nov. 

 Gen. ot Sp. 1 : 99 (1815). Si)ikelut8 siibsessile, about .'} nun. long, 

 ot'ton purple; first gjlume scarcely half as long as the spikelet, the 

 lower iloret often stain inate, fertile tloi'et 3 mm. long. 



Mexico, Pri)i(]h> 377. 



Arizona, ^lexieo, Quito. (Juyana. 



48. P. MAXiMiM Jacq. Ic. I'l. Har. Coll. 1: /. 13, 7G (178G). 

 (iiiXKA (Jkass. J\ Jititipufonnii IVrs. Syn. 1:83(180.5). 



A stout perennial, from scaly, creci)ing rootstocks. C'ulnis 

 smooth. 8(1-1 50 cm. high, nodes smooth or silky hairy. Leal'- 

 blailes smooth, JJ0-3() cm. long, 5-10 mm. wide; ciliate at the 

 liijule and on the niar<iins of the smooth sheath. Panicle larjre, 

 lo-'^O cm. or more long, erect, the numerous rays erect or spread- 

 ing, bearing spikelets above the middle of the main branches. 

 8i)ikelets on pedicels, usually 1-5 mm. long, smooth. elli|)tical or 

 oval, acute, 4 mm. long; first glume ovate, rounded, acuminate. 

 7-nerved, ;)-4 mm. long; second glume and lloral glume of the 

 staminate floret broad-ovate, 3-7-nerved, the latter a littU^ the 

 shorter: palea ovate, as long as its glume. Stamens 3. Fertile 

 llortt smooth, transversely wrinkled, •■i.a-;} mm. long. 



Cultivated in the warmer States; also found in Mexico. West 

 Indies. liuenos Ayres. Introduced from tropical Afi'ica. 



Tliis must not l)e confounded Avith Sorylmm haJepenxc, often 

 called JiiJnisdti (I'nifo'. 



4lt. P. Hallii Vasey. Hull. 'Von: Clul). 11: CI (1884). 



Culms ca^spitose, slender, erect, smooth, branching below, 

 30-00 cm. high. Ligule a ciliate ring; sheaths smooth or 

 pubescent; blades ilat, nearly smooth, light green, about 4 to 

 each culm. 8-15 cm. long. 3-15 mm. wide. Panicle exserted or 

 the lower ))artially included, 8-15 cm. long, simpU>. spreading; 

 rays mostly single, naked below and few-flowered. Spikclrts very 

 smooth. ])ale green or pnrjile. single or in ])airs. mostly borne 

 above the middle of the branches, lanceolate-ovate, acute. .3-4 mm. 

 long: first glume acute or obtuse, one-third to one-half as long as 

 the sjjikelet. 5-nerved; second glume ovate-lanceolate, aimte, 



