NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF RHYNCHOSPORA. 
not fallen under his observation. I suspect 
that he has mistaken it for R. cymosa. 
have not the means of determining whe- 
ther our plant is the R. fascicularis of 
Vahl; it certainly does not agree, in some 
respects, with the detailed description of 
that species in Ram. et Sch. Syst. Veget. 
bie is » ote d cen name | of 
b 
Herbarium. E 
R. paniculata ; culmo triquetro, 
paniculis numerosis approximatis interdum 
geminatis, spiculis oblongo-lanceolatis ad 
ramulos fasciculatis, nuce levi obovata 
lenticulari tuberculum subulatum equante, 
setis retrorsum hispidis nucem plus duplo 
longioribus. 
Culm triangular, three to four feet high. 
Leaves linear, smooth, somewhat scabrous 
on the margin and keel. Panicles nume- 
rous, approximate, so as to appear like a 
single elongated, compound panicle; often 
two or more from the same sheath. 
duncles compressed, scabrous, nearly erect, 
much longer than the sheaths; the lower 
ones longest. Bracts filiform-setaceous, 
with scabrous margins, equalling the pani- 
cles. Flowers in small fascicles, crowded 
on the ultimate divisions of the panicles. 
Spikelets ovato-lanceolate. Glumes lan- 
ceolate, rather obtuse, with a short mucro. 
Bristles six, conspicuously retrorsely his- 
pid, more than twice the length of the nut. 
Stamens three. Style slightly bifid. Nut 
smooth, obovate, lenticular, broad at the 
summit, subattenuate at the base. Tuber- 
cle subulate, compressed, as long as the 
e 
Has. New Orleans. 
. R. oligantha; culmo subaphyllo 
filiformi, spiculis paucissimis ovato-oblon- 
gis, setis sursum hispidis infra medium 
plumosis nucem oblongiuscule obovatum 
(minutissime exasperatum) paulo superan- 
tibus, tuberculo brevissimo conico. 
Culm filiform, six to twelve inches high, 
nearly leafless. Spikelets one to four, two 
to four lines long, solitary or in twos and 
threes on a nes scabrous peduncle, 
surmo bract, which 
appears. like. à continuation of the culm; i 
35. 
sometimes there is a single, remote, long- 
pedunculate, lateral spikelet. Glumes 
broad-ovate, acute. Florets raised on a 
naked articulated stipe, about a line in 
length. Bristles six, as long as the nut 
and tubercle, hispid upward, plumose be- 
low the middle. Stamens three. Style 
bifid. Nut to the naked eye nearly smooth 
(minutely rough under a powerful lens) 
obovato-oblong, subterete with a very short 
acumination supporting a conic tubercle, 
scarcely one-fourth the length of the nut. 
AB. Fayetteville, and near Wilming- 
ton, N. pyar 
23. oar) culmo subtereti, 
foliis arius setaceis, spicis approxi- 
matis ad summitatem culmi, setis sursum 
hispidis infra medium plumosis nucem 
ovatam levem paulo superantibus, tuber- 
culo compresso-conico nucem subequante. 
Culm a foot high, subterete, striate, 
smooth. Leaves setaceous, shorter than 
the culm, scabrous on the margin. Bracts 
setaceous, surpassing the culm. T 
three, roblong, densely flowered, appro 
mate, nearly sessile. „Spikelets —_ 
ovate. Glumes ovate, acute. Bristles six, 
a little exceeding the nut, hispid upward, 
plumose below the middle. Stamens three. 
Filaments very broad. Style deeply bifid. 
Nut ovate, compressed, smooth or with a 
very minute, deciduous pubescence. Tu- 
bercle compressed-conic, acute, minutely 
hispid, nearly as long as the nut. 
[aB. New Orleans. 
Ors. This species is nearly allied to 
R. plumosa, but is well characterized by 
its bristles which are only plumose below 
the middle, its smooth nut, and long flat- 
es tubercle. I regret, however, having 
no specimens in which the fruit is 
fully mature. 
24. R. alba (Vahl); culmo superne 
triquetro, spiculis corymboso-fasciculatis, 
setis denis retrorsum hispidis nuce levi 
lenticulari basi subattenuata ieu 
. alba, Vahl, Enum T. p. 236. 
Pursh, Fl. v. 1. p. 49. Elliott, Bot. S. Car. 
et Georg. v. 1. p. 57. Reem. et Sch. Syst. 
Veg. v. IL p.87. Torrey, Fl. v. 1. p. 94. 
Gray, Gram. et Cyp. v. 1. n. 92.—Sche- 
$ 
