302 



CONTRIBUTIONS FKOM THE NATIONAL HERBAEIUM. 



Autumnal form erect or topheavy-reclining, the culms bearing divergent branches 

 from the middle and upper nodes or from the upper only, the terminal joint of the 

 primary culm commonly falling, the sheaths crowded or overlapping, the blades rigid 

 and widely spreading, little reduced except those of late autumn; winter rosette 



appearing early, the blades thick and firm, usu- 

 ally prominently ciliate nearly to the apex. 



This unusually uniform species is distinguished 

 from P. commutatum by the rigid habit, thicker, 

 narrower blades, crisp-pub erulent culms and 

 sheaths, and by the more freely branching, often 

 topheavy autumnal form. Occasional speci- 

 mens, such as Bissell 5580 and Andrews 63 have 

 spikelets only 2.1 to 2.3 mm. long. 



There is a form represented by several speci- 

 mens which appears to be intermediate between 

 P. ashei and P. barbulatum. The plants grow in 

 large clumps of numerous stiff culms, with narrow blades ciliate at the base, and with 

 spikelets about 2 mm. long. These specimens are as follows. New York: Law- 

 ence, Bicknell in 1892; New Jersey: Tuckerton, Chase 3601$; District of Columbia: 

 Hitchcock 503; South Carolina: Orangeburg, Hitchcock 1406, 1407. 



Fig. 342.— P. ashei. From duplicate type 

 specimen in National Herbarium. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Dry, especially rocky woods, Massachusetts to northern Florida, west to Michigan, 

 Missouri, and Mississippi. 



Massachusetts: Maiden, Fernnld in 1891 in part; WestQuincy, Churchill in 1894 



(both in Hitchcock Herb.). 

 Connecticut: Montville, Graves 88; New London, Andrews 63; North Stoning- 



ton, Bissell 5580. 

 Rhode Island: Providence, Olney. 

 New York: Ithaca, Ashe in 1898; North ville, Bicknell in 1903 and 1904, Young 4; 



Rockdale Center, Bicknell in 1906; Rosedale, Bicknell in 1904. 

 New Jersey: South Amboy, Mackenzie 2163; Sussex County, Mackenzie 2195; 



Wildwood, Chase 3502; Wild wood Junction, Chase 3521; Atsion, Chase 3542; 



Egg Harbor, Martindale in 



1876; Oradell, Mackenzie 2480. 

 Pennsylvania: Easton, Porter in 



1895, 1897, and 1898; Cham- 



bersburg, Porter in 1898; Lan- 

 caster County, Heller 4770 in 



part, 4780. 

 Ohio: Niles, Ingraham in 1892; 



Painesville, Ha cker 6878; 



Sugar Grove, Kellerman 6892. 

 Indiana: Clarke County, Beam 



6467, 6905. 

 Michigan: Muskegan, W heeler 19. 

 Missouri: Swan, Bush 17, 2911, 3456, 4487; Pleasant Grove, Bush 289, 312; 



Monteer, Bush 4714; Chadwick, Bush 4412. 

 Delaware: Wilmington, Commons 61; Milton, Commons 349, 356, 357; Green- 

 bank, Commons 37; Ellendale, Commons 308; Frankford, Commons 53. 

 Maryland: Patuxent, House 961, Hitchcock 1640; Beltsville, Chase 3787: Hyatts- 



ville, Steele in 1903; Woodside, Chase 2830; West Chevy Chase, Chase 2477; 



Plummers Island, Hitchcock 564; Chesapeake Junction, Hitchcock 2410. 



Fig. 343.— Distribution of P. ashei. 



