PANICUM UNEARE, LINN. 49 



Jefferson Barracks, Eggert, September ii, 1877, M. B. G. Herb. 



No. 79907; 

 Randolph, Mackenzie 368, October 2, 1898, M. B. G. Herb. No. 



89720; 

 Randolph, Mackenzie 369, October 2, 1898; 

 Sheffield, Hoffman, October 7, 19 16; 

 Sheffield, Mackenzie 658, October 18, 1901; 

 St. Louis, Eggert 225 a, September 4, 1877, U. S. Herb. No. 



950203, exactly same date and collection as specimens 



on sheet No. 79907; 

 St. lyouis, Engelmann, date not given, M. B. G. Herb. No. 



79963- 



Panicum Lineare, Linn. 



BY OLIVER A. FARWELL- 



In the Species Plantarum Ed. 2, Vol. i, p. 85, 1762, Linnaeus 

 published Panicum lineare as a new species with the following 

 description: "Panicum spicis digitatis subquaternis linearibus, 

 flosculis solitariis secundis muticis. Habitat in Indiis. Culmi 

 prostrati, laeves, ramosi. Spiculae lineares, rectae, angustae. 

 Flores subtus alterni. Calycis squama exterior brevior, patens, 

 rachi adherens." 



There is no specimen in the Linnaean Herbarium and there is 

 no reference to older authors. The species must be interpreted 

 from the description alone. It is self evident from the diagnosis 

 that the species belongs to the Digitaria group. It can not be 

 P. Dactylon Linn, since it is laeves and prostrate while the latter 

 has the spikes hasi interiore villosis and the plant is sarmentis 

 repentibus; it can not be P. sanguinale Linn, or P. filiforme Linn, 

 since in these the flowers are in pairs while in P. lineare they are 

 placed singly. The habitat in Indiis may mean India and the East 

 Indies, or it may mean in both the East and West Indies. Linnaeus 

 used it both ways, I believe, but in the present instance the pre- 

 sumption is that he meant in both the East and West Indies since 

 in the Mantissa II 323, 1771 he refers to his P. lineare, without 

 comment, the P. lineare Burm. Ind. 25, t. 10. f. 2 and the Gramen 



