MONOCOTYLEDON^OUS OR ENDOGENOUS PLANTS. 615 



$ 2. Panicum proper. Glumes 2, unequal, awnless ; spikelets in panicles or racemes. 



crowded in simjyle orpanicled racemes. 

 t Sterile Jlowers of two paleae, siaminate or neutral. 



P. CuRTisii. Panicle slender, spike-like (G'-8' long), the 

 appressed lower branches remote; spikelets ovate-lanceo- 

 late ; glumes slightly keeled, the upper 5-nerved, twice as 

 lon^ as the loiuei' one, and rather shorter than the acutish 

 flower; 5^eri7e ^j^o?6;er 3-androus ; culms and smootli linear- 

 lanceolate leaves rigid ; sheaths smooth or hairy. Ponds 

 and swamps. Culms 3°-4° high, often rooting at the lower 

 joints. 



** Spikelets mostly in paij's, on short appressed pedicels scattered on the ultimate 

 branches of the usually ainple ojjen pa7iicle. 

 t Sterile floiver of onepalea, neutral. 



P. PROLiFERUM, Lam. Smooth ; culms thick and succu- 

 lent, ascending, branched, genticulate: panicles lateral 

 and terminal, diffuse; spihelets lanceolate-ovate, acute, 

 somewhat crowded on the straight branches; upper glume 

 7-nerved, 3-4 times as long as the lower ; perfect floiver 

 pointed. (P. geniculatum, Muhl.) Wet places near the 

 coast. September. Culms l°-3° long. Annual. 



P. DiVERGENS, Muhl. Culms slender, fragile, sparingly 

 branched ; leaves subulate, rough on the upper surface and 

 margins; the smooth sheaths longer than the joints; 

 panicle diffuse, bearded at the axils ; spikelets small, spin- 

 dle-shaped, solitary at the summit of very long (2-4') and 

 rough peduncles; loioer glume minute; perfect floiver lan- 

 ceolate-oblong, acute, nearly as long as the npper glume 

 and neutral palea. (P. autumnale, Bosc.) Dry sandy soil. 

 August. Culms 1° high; leaves 2-4' long. Perennial. 



P. PAUCIFLORUM, Ell. PamcU expanding, few-flowered ; 

 floiuers very large; leaves narrow-lanceolate, ciliate at the 

 base; sheaths hairy. May. Culm 12'-18' high, roughish 

 and branching at the joints; leaves 3'-4' long, 3"-4" wide, 

 smooth above ; spikelets oval, the lower glume very small. 



