46 TRIAKDMA DIGYXIA 1 



P. depaupcratum. MuhU Catal. p. 9. Ejusd. Gram. p. 112. Horn}, 



Cestr.p. 16. Also, Torn FL 1. p. 144. Beck, Hot* p. 395, /;«/ 



*-l/n/i. />. 247. 



.f/so, P. involution. 7W. FL 1. />. 144. Beck, Bot. p. 395. £<,,, 



•Man. />. 247. 



Straight, ok upright Panicu.h. 



/too/ perennial. Ck/m 9 to 15 inches high, erect, cespitoae, mostly simple, scab. 

 raps, with the joints pilose. Leaves lance-linear, erect, involute at the end, soasfo 

 form a long, slender, pungent j»oint, scabrous and somewhat pilose, or occasionally 

 glabrous ; lower ones abbreviated, upper ones longer, the terminal one generally 

 overtopping the panicle : sheaths scabrous, pubescent with long hairs. PanicU 

 terminal, erect, branches tortuous, somewhat in pairs, one of them longer anp 

 bearing 2 spikelets. Spikelets rather large, (nearly as large as those of P. latifoli. 

 «w,) all pedunculate : glumes smooth, nerved, lower one short, broad-ovate, rather 

 obtuso. Upper paiea of the abortive floret about half as long as the lower one 

 Perfect floret a little shorter than the upper glume, ovoid or obovoid; the paUa 

 hard and polished. 



Hab. Storile hills ; Serpentine ridge, abundant. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



Obs. This species is pretty much confined to the Serj>entinc rock, or Mica Slate 

 hills, where it grows abundantly. The sheaths are generally very pilose with 

 long hairs ; but in some situations the whole plant is nearly glabrous. 



4. P. mcHOTOMCM, L. Culm much branched and dichotomous above; 

 branches fasciculate ; leaves numerous, short, linear-lanceolate ; pani. 

 cles terminal and lateral, simple, capillary; spikelets small. Heck, 

 Bot. p. 395. 



i'. numuoium'? J&g.- *^?* h /*. S£. Also ! Per*. Sj/n.l. p. 84. 

 Forked, or branching Panicum. 



Root perennial. Culm erect, or decumbent, 1 to 2 feet long, dichotomously 

 branched, smooth ; lower nodes pubescent, upper ones glabrous. Leaves numer- 

 ous on the fascicled branches, spreading, 1 to 2 inches long, narrow, smooth, bright 

 green ; those at the base of the culm ovate-lanceolate, somewhat cordate, with pi. 

 lose sheaths; sheaths of the culm-leaves smooth, hairy at throat, and ciliate on the 

 margin : ligule bearded. Panicles lateral and terminal ; those of the branches 

 mostly few-flowered, short and simple,— with one or two terminal ones on lone 

 slender footstalks, much surpassing the branches. Spikelets small, ovoid or ellip- 

 tic ; glumes mostly pubescent, (sometimes smooth,) nerved, the lower one short, 

 rather obtuse. Upper palea of the abortive floret minute. Perfect floret as long 

 is tho upper glume ; the palea smooth and shining. 



/lab. Dry, hilly woodlands : Serpentine ridge, abundant. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



06s. This species presents several varieties. It is generally smooth ; but ib 

 some instances, remarkably pilose, with rigid, upright, cuspidate leaves. The 

 var. b. fasciculatum, Torr.— with bushy or leafy fasciculate branches, and small 

 simple panicles nearly concealed among the leaves,— is frequent in the thickets 

 on Serpentine ridge. The glumes, in this variety, are often smooth ; but in the 

 others I have found them quite pubescent. 



5. P. nitidum, Lam. Culm erect, simple, slender ; sheaths bearded 

 at throat ; leaves few, distant, linear-lanceolate ; panicle capillary, rath- 

 er crowded, compound ; spikelets small, oblong-ovoid, obtuse, slightly 

 pubsecent; lower glume*minut*. Beek, Bot. p. 395. 

 Shining Panicum. 



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