THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 61 



74. Panicum dichotomum, Linneus. 

 Pan-i-cum di-chot'-o-mum. 



Common Name. Polymorphus Panic-Grass. 



Perennial. Stems from eight inches to two feet high, at first 

 simple, mostly erect, but sometimes procumbent. Radical leaves 

 short and very broad, often purplish and usually smooth, those of 

 the stem narrower and much longer, spreading, smooth or hairy ; 

 sheaths pubescent or sometimes smooth. Spikelets minute, on long 

 peduncles, obovate, mostly pubescent, lower glume one-third the 

 length of the upper; lower flower neutral. This is an extremely 

 variable species. 



Moist meadows, fields and woods. Flowers I mm July to Septem- 

 ber. 



75. Panicum depauperatum, Muhlenberg. 



Pan-i-cum de-pau-per-a-tum. 



Common Names. Worthless Panic, Few-Flowered Panic-Grass. 



Perennial. Stems from eight to fifteen inches high ; lowest leaves 

 short and near together, upper ones from three to six inches long, 

 pale green, more or less hairy underneath, smooth above, fringed 

 with a few long hairs towards the base, involute when old; sheaths 

 about two inches long, on a slender peduncle, the branches mostly 

 clothed more or less with rather stiff, spreading - hairs. Panicle 

 "m pairs ; spikelets somewhat acuminate when dry, conspicuously 

 striate. 



Diy woods and highlands. Flowers in June. 



76. Panicum crusgalli, Linneus. 



Pan'-i-cum crus-gaV-li. 



PLATE XXXVIII. 



Common Names. Barnyard Grass, Barn Grass. 



Annual. Stem from two to four feet high, stout, erect or some- 

 what procumbent; leaves half an inch or more in breadth. Panicle 

 dense pyramidal, the spikelets crowded in dense, spike-like racemes ; 

 glumes acute, the awn variable in length and sometimes wanting; 

 flowering glume of the neutral flower usually awned ; perfect flowers 

 smooth and coriaceous. 



