NO. 3: 
PASPALUM DISTICHUM Linn. 
Plant perennial, the long creeping rootstocks rooting at the nodes and forming 
a rather close sod, nearly glabrous or sometimes pubescent, somewhat glaucous. 
ms one or two in a place ascending from the nodes of the rootstocks, 
branching, sa angular below, 1 to 2 feet tall 
Leaves variable; of rootstocks mostly broad, loose, membranaceous scales; of 
culms 5 at : sheaths rather loose, closed, rarely compressed and open, striate; 
blades flat or slightly involute, 2 to 24 lines wide, 2 to 6 inches long; ligule an 
ia tawny, lacerate fringe, decurrent. 
sence of 2 rarely 3, narrow, erect, approximate spikes, 1 to 24 inches 
long, the lower one raised on a short internode of the axis; rachis flat, bearing the 
two crowded rows of sessile spikelets in alternate ranks. 
Spikelets broadly oblong-lanceolate, flattened, 1-flowered, 1 to 14 lines long; 
first and second glumes equal, broadly. lanceolate, 3-nerved or unsymmetrically 
4-nerved; first acute, 1 ling long, smooth; second with short, loose pubescence; 
floral glume broadly lanceolate, smooth, indurated, 3-nerved, 1 line long; palet 
indurated, ovoid, inclosing grain, acute, obscurely 1-nerved, 1 line long and quite 
as broad. 
Grain elliptical-lanceolate, flattened, nearly black at maturity, minutely 
roughened, | line long; falling with the ee palet_ and aur Stigmas 2, 
purple, prominent, 
Piate II; a, first empty glume, dea view; b, second Sead gue C, 
Rowerne glume, inside view; d, palet and stamens; : . : 
Common in the Southern States, Texas, and westwa 
Galf, and i in moist ground it forms valuable pasturage. — 
