168 



PANICACE^. 



Found along tlie coast in the Southern States, also in the West 

 Indies, Mexico, Buenos Ayres, Sandwich 

 Islands, Australia. 



34. (25). OlYRA L. Syst. Ed. 10. 1201 

 (1759). Mapira Adans. Fam. 2: 39 (1763). 

 Lithachnc Beauv. Agrost. 135, /. 24, f. 2 

 (1813). liuddia 15ertol. in oinise. Sc. Bologn. 

 3:410 (1819). Sfrepfiium Sehrad. Nces, 

 Agrost. Bras. 298 (1829). 



Spikelots 1-flowcred, nionweious in ])ani- 

 cles, those which are staminato, on tlie iowor 

 portion of the panicle or in soi>arato panicles, 

 destitute of empty glumes, lloral glume uar- 

 row and acuminate, l-nerved. palca 2-nerve(l, 

 nearly as loug as its glume. Stuuiens 3, 

 Pistillate spikclets usually in the upper por- 

 tion of the i)anicle. ovate: euipty glumes her- 

 haceous, pointed or awiu'd. cipial, or the first 

 longer; floral ghime and paloii much shorter, 

 obtuse, cartilaginous. Stamens 0. Styles 2, 

 united at the base, (iraiu firndy enclosed, 

 but not adherent. lilades of the leaves 

 broad, netted-veined, often borne on short 

 Fig. 'm.—Stniotaplirum petioles; panicles terminal or axillary. 

 sccun,h,tnm. A v'fion Si)ecies al.out twentv; one of them be- 



ot spike; a, spikelnt. ' 



longs to tropical Africa, the others to tropical 

 America. Some authors reduce nearly all of the species to varieties 

 of O. hiflfoJia. 



1. 0. latifolia L. 1. c. 0. 2io,niciilata Sw. Obs. liot. 347 

 (1791). 



Culms hard, branched. Leaves more or less puherulent; 

 sheaths shorter than the internodes; ligule a mere rijig; blades flat, 

 ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, 7-14 cm. long. I'anicles terminal 

 or axillary, simple, oval, 10-17 ctn. long, rays scattered or in threes 

 to sevens, rather stout. Fertile spikclets ovoid, acuniimite, em})ty 

 glumes with involute ti})s; first 1 1-13-nervt'd. 7-12 mm. long. 



