NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF LEPTOCHLOA. 13 



Leptochloa unified Steud. Syn. 1: 208. 1854. "Surinam Am. Aiastr." Type 

 examined. 



Distribution: Ruatan Island: Gaumer. Mexico: Liebmann 251, 252; Nelson 

 3768,2483. Cuba: Rugel 193; Wright W36 4 740 (in part), 741 (in part); 

 Combs 256. Porto Rico: Heller 4585; Sintenis 844. Martinique: Bourgeau 

 2375; Halm 103. St. Vincent: Smith 577. St. Croix: Ricksecker 258. St. 

 Thomas: Eggers 68. Galapagos: Anderson 44. Brazil: Riedel, Traill 1274. 

 Paraguay: Morong 970. 



LEPTOCHLOA DOMINGENSIS Trim Fund. Agrost. , 133. 1820. Transfers 

 Cynosurus domingensis Jacq. (PI. II, figs. 1, 2; text figs. 4, 5, 6.) 



Cynosurus domingensis Jacq. Misc. 2: 363, 1781. " Facie infra medium pilosa 

 dorsa glabra." 



Bromus capillaris Moench. Meth. 194, 1794. ' ' Sub nomine Poae capillaris semina 

 accepi," no locality given. Kunth refers this to L. domingensis (Enum. 1: 

 269) and the description applies, especially, "Folia lata infra glabra, supra 

 deorsum scabra, basin versus pilosa, ' ' but Moench also says, ' ' vaginae glabrae. ' ' 

 However, the pubescence is confined to the margin of the sheath. 



Eleusine domingensis Pers 1: 87. 1805. " Hab. in Jamaica, St. Domingo. "' 



Rabdochloa domingensis Beauv. Agrost. 176. 1812. Transfers Cynosurus dom- 

 ingensis, p. 84. He also refers Poa domingensis Pers. Syn. 1: 88 to his genus 

 Rabdochloa, and in this is followed by Kunth (1. a). 



Fig. 4. — L. domingensis, Fig. b.—L. domingensis, Fig. 6. — L. domingensis, 



from Hidalgo, Tex. from Florida. from Central America. 



Leptostachys domingensis Meyer. Esseq. 74. 1818. Transfers Eleusine domin- 

 gensis Pers. 



Leptochloa gracilis Nees. Syll. Ratisb. ,1:4. 1824. Transfers Chloris gracilis 

 H. B. K. See note under L. dubia. Nees in Agrost. Bras., 433. 1829, gives 

 " Habitat in Brasiliis . . . (Sellow. Vidi in Herb. Reg. Berol.)" 



Chloris gracilis H. B. K. Nov. Gen. 1: 168. 1815. " Crescit in calidis Pro- 

 vinciae Jaen de Biacamoros prope Tomependa, alt.. 207 hex." 



Leptostachys gracilis Meyer. Fl. Esseq., 74. 1818. Transfers Chloris gracilis 

 to his new genus Leptostachys. 



Our plants have the rigid, glaucous appearance of L. virgata, with involute 

 leaves, but resemble L. domingensis in having the margin of the sheaths and 

 the upper surface of the lower part of the blades ciliate or pilose. The awns 

 are almost the length of the flowering glume. Grisebach distinguishes these 

 by the length of the spikes and of the a.wns (Fl. Br. W. I.) . thus, L. virgata 

 with spikes 3-6 in. long and awns short or none; var. gracilis, awns about as 

 long as glume, spikes 1-^—2 in. long; var. domingensis, spikes 3-5 in. long and 

 awns longer. The length of the awn can not be depended upon to distinguish 

 these forms. 



Stems \ to 1 m. high, smooth and somewhat shining or glaucous, leaves long and 

 narrowed to a slender point, involute; the tropical specimens have softer, flat 

 leaves. Our specimens are probably introduced as the plant is not common 

 within our borders. The drier climate would account for the involute leaves. 

 The upper surface of blade near base is sparsely pilose with long weak hairs, 

 the margin of the sheath is more densely ciliate. Panicles 1 to 2 dm. long 



