f 



44 TBIANDRIA DIGYNIA 



uose, flat on the back, raarginate. Pedicels undivided, 1-flowered. Florets plau*. 

 convex, alternate, in two rows, largor than the preceding. Glumes orbicular-ova^ 

 l-nerved, minutely striate 

 Hob. Grassy banks : Brandy wine, &c. frequent. FL August. Fr. September. 



Obs. Sometimes the whole plant is quite smooth ; in other instances, the leave t 

 arc somewhat pilose, and the lower sheaths conspicuously so. There are 8 or 9 ad 

 dittonal species enumerated in the U. Slates. 



| j- Spikelet8 2-Jlowered ; one of them abortive. 



26. DIGITARIA. Haller. JSTtttt. Gen. 82. 



[Latin, Digitus, a finger; the spikes being digitate, or finger-like.] 



Spikes linear, digitate or fasciculate ; 8 pi he let 8 unilateral, in pairs, ou 

 short bifid pedicels. Glumes mostly 2-valved; the lower one very small, 

 sometimes wanting. Lower Jloret abortive; palea single, membrana- 

 ceous. Upper Jloret perfect; pale* 2, 6ubcurtilaginous, lance-oblong, 

 nearly equal. Seed striate. 



1, D. saxguihalis, Scop. Spikes numerous, fascicled, a little spread- 

 Lng ; leaves lanceolate; spikelets in pairs ; florets lance-oblong, slightly 

 ciliate-pubcsccnt on the margin. Beck, Hot. p. 398. 



Panicum sanguinale. Willd. Sp. 1. p. 342. Ait. £tiv. I. p. 142. 

 Big el. Host. p. 41. 



Bloody, on Purple Digitaria. Vulgo — Crab-grass. Finger-grass. 

 Root annual. Culm decumbent* 12 to 18 inches long, geniculate, glabrous, radi- 

 cating at the lower joints. Leaves softly pilose ; sheaths strigosely hairy : UguU 

 short, ovate, white, often tinged with purple. Spikes 4 to 6, sometimes 8 or 9, often 

 in 2 fascicles a little distant, becoming purple : rachis flat, flexuose, scabrous on 

 the margin. Spikelets in pairs, in two rows, appressed to the rachis, on short pe- 

 dicels, the lower one 6ubsessile. Inferior glume almost wanting. 



Bab. Gardens, and cultivated grounds: common. FL July. Fr. September. 



Obs. This is a well known, troublesome grass to Gardeners ; and very difficult 

 to keep in subjection, in the latter part of summer. 



2. D. filiformis, Ell. Spikes 2 to 4, erect, alternate, filiform ; spike- 

 lets mostly in threes, all pedicellate ; glume 1-valved, as long as the 

 abortive floret, pubescent. Beck. Bot. p. 398. Specim. Gray, Grarrh 

 1. no. 23. 



D. pilosal Mx.Am. I. p. 45. Pursh, Am. 1. p. 69. 

 Panicum filiforme. Willd. Sp. 1. p. 343. Ait. Kev>. 1. p. 142. 

 Filiform Digitabia. 



Root annual. Culm erect, very slender, 1 to 2 feet high. Leaves short, narrow- 

 lanceolate, slightly hairy, scabrous on the margin ; lower sheaths very hairy, up* 

 per ones glabrous. Spikes mostly 2, (sometimes 1 , 3, or 4.) filiform ; rachis- flexuose, 

 scabrous. Spikelets in twos or threes, on pedicels of different lengths, divided te 

 the base. Glume acute, 3-nerved, pubescent. Palea of the abortive Jloret ii-nerv- 

 ed, pubescent, as long as the perfect floret. 



Sab. Dry sandy banks, and road sides: frequent. Ft- Aug. Fr. Sept. 



Obs . Two or three other species are known in the United States ; of which 

 the D. glabra siay probably be found in Chester County ; but it kae not yet bee* 

 observe^. m 



