k 



Tn i: (iUASHKH OF Tkn\kssi:i:. 47 



Spikelets one line lon^, rounded obovate, very abruptly pointed. 

 First jj^lume one-tlfth to one-third as lon^^ as the others, usually 

 nerveless; seeond and third j^lumes nine-nerved, pubescent; the 

 thiril with a small hyaline palea; the fourth or llowerinjj; glume 

 smooth. Below each of the nodes there is a smooth space about 

 two lines broad, extendinj^ around the stem like a rinjif. The 

 nearly smooth upper portions of the sheaths and panicle-branches 

 are mottled with irre«^ular yellow or brown, often purple-bor- 

 dered, s]K)ts. Panicles of the branches much smaller and fewer- 

 rtovvered than that of the i)rimary stem. 



Low iiTounds, borders of thickets, etc. June to September. In 

 the \'alley of the Hiwassee (A. Ruth). West Tennessee (S. M. 

 Hain). 



17. Panicum Walter! Poir. (P. latifolium Walter and many Ameri- 

 can authors.) 



Plato XII. Figure 45, (as V. latifoliinn). 



A rather slender branching perennial, one to two feet high, with 

 broad ovate or lanceolate leaves and rather large spikelets in few- 

 tlowered spreading panicles. Culms finally much-branched above, 

 smooth or pubescent; nodes smooth or bearded with soft spreading 

 or reflexed hairs. Sheaths usually shorter than the internodes, 

 smooth or pubescent, the outer margin ciliate: ligule a fringe of 

 hairs one to two lines long; leaf-blade two to five inches long, 

 four to sixteen lines wide, broadly lanceolate or ovate, acute, cord- 

 ate and more or less clasping at the base, surfaces smooth or thinly 

 pubescent, margins minutely scabrous. Panicle nearly simple, two 

 and one-half to five inches long, pyramidal, the spreading branches 

 and usually short, appressed pedicels nearly smooth or pilose. 

 Spikelets about two lines long, ovate-elliptical or pyriform, obtuse; 

 first glume one-fourth to one-third as long as the others, three- 

 nerved; second and third glumes, elliptical obtuse, nine- to eleven- 

 nerved, more or less pubescent, the third with a palea nearly as 

 long as itself and sometimes a staminate flower: fourth glume ellip- 

 tical, its apex pubescent. Common in open woods and thickets. 

 June to July. Remarkable for its broad leaves and large spikelets, 

 which are racemose along the solitary branches of the panicle. 

 This is the P. laiifolium of most American authors, but not of Lin- 

 naeus. P. scoparium of Elliott and Chapman has a panicle and 

 spikelets hardly to be distinguished from P. Walteri. It differs in 

 its more pubescent sheaths and narrower leaves, which are densely 

 pubescent on the lower surface and smooth on the upper. 



iS. Panicum scoparium Lam. 



An erect or ascending perennial, with rather slender finally 

 much-branched culms, six to twenty-four inches high, flat, lance- 

 olate leaves and large spikelets in rather small, nearly simple few- 

 flowered panicles. Culms smooth or pubescent; nodes smooth 

 or densely bearded with spreading or reflexed hairs. Sheaths 

 usually shorter than the internodes, papillate-pilose or pubescent, 

 rarely glabrous, bearded at the throat; ligule a fringe of hairs; 

 leaf-blade lanceolate, three to six inches long, three to twelve lines 



