Chase — Notes on Genera of Panicese. III. 179 



In 0. ramosissima the staminate spikelets are villous and only on the 

 lower branches of the panicles. Our specimens of P. laterale Presl (Pittier 

 8641, 11008, 12058) are destitute of staminate spikelets, but the pistillate 

 spikelets with the first glume wanting, bony-indurated fruit and no sta- 

 mens, as well as the firm blades abruptly narrowed into a petiole-like base 

 unmistakably place this species in Olyra. 



Olyra lateral^ (Presl). 



Panicum laterale Presl 1830. Rel. Haenk. 1 : 305. "Hab. in Peruviae 

 montanis huanoccensibus." The type, in the Presl herbarium in the 

 National Museum at Prag, is labeled "Panicum laterale nov. sp. J. S. 

 Presl" and " Peruano montano oronocciensis." No staminate spikelets 

 are present, the first glume is wanting in the pistillate spikelets, though 

 Presl' s description reads: "gluma inferiore brevissima," and again 

 " Gluma inferior minima vix ulla." Judging from the description O. 

 sarmentosa Doell is this species or closely allied to it. 



Genus LITHACHNE Beauv. 1812, Agros. 135, t. 24, f. 11. 



" De \i6os, Lapis; &x vr l, Palea. 



" Culmus ramosus: Axes spicati: Spicae simplices, dissimiles; alia 

 terminali, Locustis 1-floris, masculis. — Glumae nullae. — Paleae acutis- 

 simae. — Stamina 6; aliis axillaribus, Locustis 1-floris, semineis. — Glumae 

 herbaceae, acutissimae. — Paleae coriaceo-induratae : infer, truncata, 

 navicularis, gibba. * * * Spec. Olyra pauciflora Lin." [error for 

 Swartz, in the index (p. 168) "Olyra pauciflora Sw. Vid. Lithachne 

 135" is given.] 



Beauvois' statement that there are six stamens is an error, due probably 

 to mistaking the separated cells for entire anthers. 



Though the genus is based on 0. pauciflora Sw. Beauvois does not 

 transfer this name to his new genus ; in the index (p. 166) the only species 

 given under Lithachne is axillaris without reference as to what this name 

 is based on. In the explanation of plate 24 the name Lithachne axillaris is 

 used. Olyra axillaris Lam. 1797 Encyc. 4 : 547 (see below), is the same 

 species as 0. pauciflora Sw. and Lamarck cites the latter name as a synonym 

 under his own 0. axillaris though published some years earlier. Beauvois 

 does not cite Lamarck's work though he must have been acquainted with 

 it and his L. axillaris is doubtless based on Lamarck's 0. axillaris. 



Olyra pauciflora Sw. 1788, Prod. 21. "Jamaica." The type labeled 

 " Olyra pauciflora Sw. fl. ind. occid. Jamaica Sw." is in the Swartz her- 

 barium at Stockholm. 



Trinius (1820, Fund. Agros. 200) includes Lithachne under Olyra, 

 "panicled, or spikelets axillary" covering both in the diagnosis; the 

 gibbous pistillate floret is not mentioned. In 1826 (Gram. Pan. 251) 

 Trinius makes the same disposition of Lithachne ; the gibbous character 

 of the floret being mentioned as : " perianthio semiovato, truncate" 



Poiret (1823, Diet. Sci. Nat. 27:60.) with the spelling " Lithacne" 

 gives a brief description of the genus and species, transferring 0. pauciflora 

 Sw. to this genus, but giving Beauvois as author of the combination. 



