6 



Chase — Notes on Genera of Panicese. II. 



Genus SACCIOLEPIS Nash 1901, Britt. Man. 89. 



"A perennial grass with flat leaves and a terminal contracted panicle. 

 Spikelets numerous, readily deciduous when mature, 1-flowered, articu- 

 lated to the pedicel below the empty scales. Scales 4, the outer 3 membra- 

 nous, the first scale small, the second one much larger than the rest, 

 many-nerved, strongly saccate at the base; fourth scale much shorter 

 than the third, chartaceous, enclosing a palet of similar texture and a 

 perfect flower. * * * [Greek, in reference to the large saccate second scale 

 of the spikelet.]." 



The only species given under the genus is Sacciolepis gibba (Ell. ) Nash 

 (1. c. ), based on the following: 



Panieum gibbum Ell. 1817, Sk. Bot. S. C. and Ga. 1: 116. No specimen 

 is cited. The type in the Elliott herbarium in the College of Charleston, 



consists of a single culm with three leaves 

 and an over-mature panicle. The label 

 in Elliott's writing reads: "Panieum gib- 

 bum mihi. flor. Aug. Sept. Car. Gearg. in 

 locis udis." 



Nees ( 1841 , Fl. Afr. Aust. 50) establishes 

 a divi*aon Curviflora ; Bentham (1878, Fl. 

 Austral. 7:480) a series My uroidese ; and 

 Stapf (1898, Flora Capensis 386) a sec- 

 tion Vilfokhn- for species referable to this 

 genus. For the history of the disposition 

 of this group by various authors, see the 

 notes under Hymenachne. 



Description. — Spikelets short-pediceled 

 on short usually erect racemes forming 

 dense spike-like panicles (except in P. curratum L. ), spikelets oblong- 

 conical; first glume small, second glume broad, inflated-saccate, strongly 

 many-nerved ; sterile lemma narrower, flat, fewer-nerved, its palea nearly 

 as long, often subtending a staminate flower; fruit stipitate, elliptical, the 

 lemma and palea chartaceous-indurated, the margins of lemma inrolled, 

 the palea not enclosed at the summit. Grasses of wet ground; culms 

 usually branching, and rooting at the lower nodes. 

 Sacciolbpis striata (L.) Nash 1903, Bui. Torr. Bot. Club, 30:383. 

 Rolens striatus L. 1753, Sp. PL 1048. " Habitat in Virginia paludibus." 

 The type in the Linnean herbarium is " a Gronovins plant numbered 59. 

 upon which Linnaeus has written ' 7 striatus.' "* /^ 



Panieum striatum Lam. 1791, Tab. Encyc. 1:172. "Carolina. Com. 

 D. Fraser." The type labeled " de la Caroline, fraser, panieum striatum 

 lam." is in the Paris herbarium. Though the same specific name is used 

 it appears that Lamarck did not know Holcus striatus L. 



Panieum gibbum ¥A\. 1817, Sk. Bot. S. C. and Ga. 1 : 116. (See above. ) 

 Panieum Elliottianum Schult. 1824, Mant. 2:256. Based on the pre- 

 ceding, the name being changed because of P. gibbosum Brown. 

 •Fide Hitchcock, in note book. 



Fig. 2. 

 Sacciolepis gibba. 



