HITCHCOCK AND CHASE NOKTH AMERICAN PANICUM. 



187 



referred to P. mattamuskeetense Ashe. The species was described by Muhlenberg « 

 immediately after Panicum discolor Spreng., under the heading, "Co-species vel 

 varietas major." The* type, in the Muhlenberg Herbarium, is somewhat fragmentary, 

 consisting of a single culm broken into three pieces, but is evidently the same as P. 

 mattamuskeetense . 



DESCRIPTION. 



Vernal form in clumps of few to several culms, olivaceous, usually strongly tinged 

 with deep purple; culms stout, erect or subgeniculate at base, the nodes bearded or 

 the upper puberulent only; sheaths less than half the length of the internodes, pilose 

 on the margin, a puberulent ring at the summit, the auricles pilose, the lower sheaths 

 velvety-pilose, the upper glabrous; ligule dense, 0.7 mm. long; blades horizontally 

 spreading, 8 to 12 cm. long, 8 to 12 mm. wide (basal blades much shorter), acuminate, 

 narrowed toward the base, the lower velvety, the upper glabrous, on both surfaces; 

 panicles long-exserted at maturity, 8 to 10 mm., rarely 12 mm. long, about three- 

 fourths as wide, many-flowered, the flexuous 

 branches spreading, short spikelet-bearing branch- 

 lets in the axils; spikelets 2.3 to 2.5 mm. long (rarely 

 2.7 mm. long), 1.1 mm. wide, elliptic, pointed be- 

 fore maturity, pubescent; first glume about one- 

 third the length of the spikelet, subacute; second 

 glume and sterile lemma subequal, barely cover- 

 ing the fruit at maturity; fruit 2 mm. long, 1 mm. 

 wide, elliptic. 



Autumnal form erect or becoming somewhat 

 decumbent, branching rather sparingly from the 

 middle nodes after the maturity of the primary 

 panicles, the branches rather appressed, the reduced crowded blades ascending. 



The spikelets at maturity are more turgid, shorter, and more obtuse than when 

 immature, the swelling of the ripened fruit shortening the spikelet in length. In 

 Chase 3744 the spikelets are 2.7 mm. long, while in Chase 3791 from the same place 

 three weeks later the mature spikelets 

 are but 2.4 mm. long, and in Chase 

 3793, of the same date as the latter, 

 they are but 2.1 mm. long; the fruits, 

 however, are of the same size, 2 mm. 

 long, the difference in length being 

 due to a varying length of the second 

 glume and sterile lemma. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Fig. 185. — P. mattamuskeetense. From 

 duplicate type specimen in National 

 Herbarium. 



Distribution of P. mattamuskeetense. 



Low moist ground, New York to 

 North Carolina. 



New York: Hempstead, Bicknell in 1903; Woodmere, Bicknell in 1902; Hewletts, 



Bicknell in 1905; Far Rockaway, Bicknell in 1902. 

 New Jersey: Anglesea, Brown in 1897 (Phila. Acad. Herb.). 

 Maryland: Beltsville, Chase 3744, 3744^, 3791, 3793, 3326, 3829; Vienna, Novik 



182. 

 North Carolina: Lake Mattamuskeet, Ashe in 1898; Wilsons Mills, Chase 3099; 

 Wilmington, Hitchcock 354, 1455; Roanoke Island, Chase 3232. 



a Descr. Gram. 115. 1817. 



