266 Plants Collected in Paraguay. 



Pennisetum purpurascens, H. B. K., Nov. Gen., i, II3. 



Pilcomayo River (1516). March-April. 



A handsome species. Calms sometimes 1 cm. in diameter at the 

 base, hard and hollow-jointed like a cane, glabrous, and as much 

 as 3 m. in height. Leaves numerous, 3-5 dm. long, 1-2 cm. broad. 

 Spikes often reddish or purple in color, sometimes 25 cm. or more 

 in length, frequently recurved. Spikelets densely crowded. Setae 

 very numerous, 10-15 mm. long. 



Pennisetum setosum (Sw.), L., in Pers. Syn., i, 72? 



Asuncion (208 a); Pilcomayo River (991). February-April. 



A fine grass, much valued for pasturage when young. Culms 

 1-2J m. high. Inflorescence in a long, plumose spike (15-25 cm.), 

 which has a rich yellow or purplish tint, frequently recurved. Spike 

 1-lJ cm. wide. Similar to no. 1576, but much more graceful, and 

 with shorter and narrower spikes. It presents a beautiful appear- 

 ance when standing on the banks of the Pilcomayo River, where it 

 is very common. 



This was first determined and distributed as P. Sieberi, Kunth. 



Olyra pauciflora^ Sw., Fl. Ind. Occ, i, 125. 



Caballero (505). January. 



A genus of grasses with 1-flowered, monoecious spikelets, the 

 staminate in the lower part of the panicle, or rarely in a distinct 

 panicle, and with a single glume. Pistillate flowers 3-glumed. The 

 species here noted is, according to Swartz, an inhabitant of the 

 island of Jamaica. It has a culm 2 or 3 dm. high. Leaves ovate, 

 acute, rounded or truncate at base, 4-6 cm. long and 2^-3 cm. broad 

 at the base, on a minute pedicel, the sheaths closely involute. Pani- 

 cle 6-8 cm. long, the branches in verticils of 6-10, the lowest f as 

 long as the panicle. Glumes aristate. Leaves very green, striate, 

 glabrous, shining on the upper surface. 



Pilar us latifolius^ L., Sp. PL, Ed. 2, 1408. 



Between Yilla Rica and Escoba (449). January-March. 



This seems to be the plant described in Chap. Fl. Supp., p. 661, but 

 it certainly is not aquatic as he declares his plants to be, as it grows 

 in the woods, often in very dry woods. It occurs abundantly in 

 the monte on the banks of the Pilcomayo, as well as in Central 

 Paraguay. The panicle is small, not over 10 cm. long, the branches 



